The Game of Life
by MidnightRain101
Summary: Being a test subject was scarier than it sounded. As dangerous as it was I had to do it, if not for me, then for my little brother. Brooklyn was a danger addict, but the most dangerous thing about Brooklyn was the king himself…he doesn’t scare me.
1. Prologue

**Author note: Behold a new series of Newsies! Yay, be happy! Anyways, this one is going to be a little bit different than normal…okay; it's a lot different than normal!**

**Summary: Being a mere test subject was scarier than it sounded. As dangerous as it was I had to do it, if not for me, then for my little brother. Brooklyn was a danger addict, but the most dangerous thing about Brooklyn was the king himself…he doesn't scare me.**

My life was completely taken over by a man named Ned Neeley, one of the most mischievous beings on this lonely planet that God has created.

I was a mere test subject, a guinea pig, a prisoner. Nobody's life could ever be as awful as mine, and not to mention grotesque and scary. After I had turned eleven my mother passed away from pneumonia, leaving my good for nothing father in charge.

After I turned twelve, he gave me up to this "school," that he said would teach me everything I wanted to know. But I was mistaken, and lied to. To Brooklyn it was a boarding school for boys and girls, but to the "students" it was hell.

To be honest, it isn't a school. The owner, Ned Neeley, had a sick mind. It was a game to him. Each person went through a different task each day, sometimes in groups and sometimes alone. You had to survive, and if you did, then you'd wait patiently for your next test.

Some tests consisted of being shut up in a dark room for six days without sunlight, food, and very little water – these tests were the easiest, well, that was my opinion. There were also the tests where we'd be chased by blood-thirsty dogs through a dark forest, surrounded by nothing but a huge red fence.

Some people would crack just after their first week and go insane, but they hadn't seen the hardest parts yet.

Growing up there was the worst thing I'd ever experienced, and what was even worse was that I was their leader. I was most likely to survive in the very end, and I had been there for five years. I was the strongest test subject, and everyone knew I'd come out alive at the end of my task.

I was cold hearted, heartless, cruel, and stubborn. Most of the others depended on me to get them out, and I usually did. I helped some escape, and even tried myself, but I came back.

Ned took something of mine, and won't give it back. The test of my life was to save my little brother. If I left, then he'd surely kill him. During the tests we were given clues and riddles and such, and I could solve them in a heartbeat.

Everybody in the "school" was marked with a number. Or, should I say, carved. They'd give you a number, and then carve it in your right wrist where you had to hide it with a white bandage. Mine was 101.

I was quick, smart, and had a lot of common sense. Anything Ned came up with I could pass it, almost like I was indestructible, immortal, and not able to fall. That's why I was the leader, and because of this they would put me through the hardest of tests, but you know what? Nothing can stop me.

My best friends were Stephen and Erica. Stephen and I took good care of Erica because she wasn't all too strong, and was very weak. If anything ever happened to her, well, this wouldn't end well.

The whole point of this "school" was to see who could survive, or who was capable of surviving. And, of course, everyone predicted that I would. Being a toy of life was harsh; we had boundaries we had to stick to.

Sure, we were aloud to leave the school from time to time, but we were watched like hawks. We could socialize with whoever we liked, but we were never aloud to get too close. We weren't aloud to love, cry or feel. Emotions only got in the way, so we weren't aloud to feel. Crying was something I didn't do often, barely at all really. It was very rare to see me cry.

I didn't know how many kids were "enrolled" in this hellhole, but there was a lot. Each day someone new would come just to get in the way of everything.

During group tests you weren't aloud to help anybody in your group. If someone fell, then you run on, stop for no one. If you did help someone then you were disobeying the rules, and you'd be punished severely. Well, I was used to these punishments because I couldn't stand to leave someone behind, and that was one of the many reasons as to why everyone depended on me.

I was still forced to visit my father, and I did, unwillingly. If there was anyone to blame for my fucked up life, it was him. He ruined everything for me, and just like him, I was dead. He was immortal, I was immortal, he was dead, I was dead – that's just how it is.

But, my life goal was to save my brother Daniel, and nothing could stop me.


	2. Chapter One

We ran through the thick forest, kicking up mud from the previous downpour. Our breathing was heavy, and our legs were begging for us to stop, but we couldn't.

Behind us were the echoing barks of about three or four dogs, not too far behind. I pushed tree limbs out of my way, and got scraped here or there, but I was fine.

My mind was racing rapidly, not sure if we could make it this time. Whether or not I made it back alive I had to make sure that my friends were safe.

Just as we inched closer, I heard something pound into the ground and immediately I twirled around. Stephen, who was just behind me, turned around as well, and the two of us sped over to Erica who was sprawled out in the mud.

"Go!" I screamed at Stephen. "Go on, we'll catch up!" Stephen nodded and took off, trusting me with Erica. I bent down and struggled to help her to her feet. She was bleeding from her forehead, and looked dazed.

I threw her arm over my shoulder to support her weight, and we began walking slowly. I glanced over my shoulder and bit my lip once I seen two vicious black beasts emerge from the forest, their barks echoing off the silent trees.

Erica whimpered as we moved faster. Just a little closer and we'd be safe, but I was smarter than that. Even if we were just three feet away we'd never make it, not with how fast those dogs were coming. I growled in anger and willed Erica to go faster, and, just like magic, she did.

It wasn't as fast as I wanted her to go but we ran, ran for our lives. In the back of my mind I was cursing myself for being so stupid as we ran through the door and instantly closed it shut, and the barking faded away.

I took deep breaths for air as Stephen appeared at Erica's side.

"You okay?" he asked in a short breath. Erica nodded in pain as she slid down the wall to a sitting position. I licked at the dry blood on my lips and turned around to face several men and a few women who rushed into the room.

One man roughly grabbed my right arm and examined my number, not as if he really needed to since everyone knew who I was.

"Number 101," he said, scribbling down on a piece of paper. "Test passed." I watched as he then rushed over to Stephen, number 112, and then Erica, 124.

The other men and women then ushered us out of the room and into the main hall of the so called school for boys and girls. We were escorted to the front desk where a woman behind it took our blood for tests. Sometimes I wondered if we were really living in 1900, since everything here seemed so…smart.

I held in the urge to scream as we were taken back to our bunkrooms. I shared a room with Erica, and Stephen shared his with a kid named Grey.

We had to clean up our own wounds, and I was sure that Ned was going to send for me since I helped someone…again.

I helped Erica clean up the blood dripping down her forehead. She winced here and there, so I had to be careful. I was different, though, because I was used to pain. It didn't bother me anymore. You could cut me in several places with a knife, and it wouldn't really affect me. The only time that I was in actual pain was during my punishments for helping others. They hurt me in a different way.

After I had cleaned up my wounds, the door to our room opened and I didn't have to question why. I instantly put the white bandage around my wrist to hide my number as the man dragged me out of the room.

We walked down long corridors and up never ending flights of stairs. We then came upon the punishment room, my home sweet home, and entered carelessly.

Ned stood in the middle of the room, waiting for my arrival.

"Ah, Anomie," he greeted me. I sent him a disgusted glare and approached him. He smirked down at me and motioned for me to sit in the chair behind the big white table. I reluctantly obeyed him and sat down, glaring intensely at him.

"For the umpteenth time, one hundred and one, you have disobeyed the rules," he said coolly.

"Oh come on! All I did was help her!" I yelled angrily. I wasn't afraid of Ned. He could hurt me all he wanted to, but I'd never obey the rules. Ned narrowed his eyes in anger and slammed his hands down on the table, not affecting me at all. I held his same cold stare in hatred.

"The rules clearly state that any student here at my school are not to help anyone but themselves!" he yelled. I rose to my feet and copied his position.

"I am not a student, I'm a prisoner, and this isn't a school it's hell!" I yelled back at him. Ned chuckled slightly and forced me back into my seat.

"You may be a leader to them, Anomie, but to me you are the key," Ned whispered evilly. "For years before you showed up here I never thought I'd find the one person who could outsmart me, but now I think I have."

"Anyone could outsmart you," I said, staring at the wall before me.

"Really now? Your friend, Erica, can't seem to," he said. I tensed up once he mentioned Erica and clutched the arms of the chair.

"Keep her out of this," I said coldly. Ned chuckled and patted my shoulder.

"You're heartless, Anomie, why do you need friends?"

"Just get this over with!" I snapped, not even looking at him. Ned nodded and ordered for a man to escort me to a room. Well, at least they weren't going to beat me senseless.

The man roughly pushed me into the windowless dark room and I heard the door lock on the other side. Punishment code 1708 locked in a dark, cold room overnight. Oh yeah, real frightening.

I sighed and sat in the corner on the hard floor and leaned my head against the wall. I hated this place, it was so ridiculous.

I sighed deeply and closed my eyes to be met by more darkness. Everything in this world was messed up.

I awoke to the sound of talking, and blinked open my eyes. I crawled over to the door and peaked under the small crack where little light shown. There were two sets of feet visible, but I couldn't tell who they were.

"Who's next?" a lady asked.

"Erica Cassidy," I heard Ned's voice. I listened closer at the mention of my friend.

"What test?" the lady asked. I could tell that Ned was smiling, and all I wanted to do was hit him upside the head with a pole.

"The fire," said Ned. I narrowed my eyes in anger and suppressed the need to hit the wall. Erica couldn't survive the fire; not alone anyways. I bit my lip and backed away from the door, and sat back down in the corner right before the door opened.

"Anomie," Ned said with a laugh. "You are free to go." I pushed myself to my feet and walked past him, not even glancing at his disgusting face. I stormed to my bunkroom and inserted my key into the keyhole. I pushed hard onto the door and it barely just budged.

I pushed the door shut hard behind me, which woke Erica with a jolt.

"Anomie!" she said, jumping to her feet and wrapping her arms around me. I didn't return her hug, and just stared out the window behind her.

"You're next," I said lifelessly. Erica pulled away and looked at me questioningly.

Next for what?" she asked.

"You're next for a test! They're going to put you by yourself through the fire!" I said angrily. Erica flinched in disbelief and watched me walk over to the window.

"I'm going alone?" she asked. I made no movement.

"They'll do whatever it takes to bring the scores down between at least five people," I muttered. "Their goal now is to get rid of the weak ones."

Erica appeared at me side and patted my shoulder. "I'll survive," she assured me. I shook my head and plopped down on my bed.

"You won't if they don't want you to," I told her. Erica was frightened, I could tell, but she'd never admit to it. She was too good for that, and she got that from me.

"They can't get rid of me that quick," she said sitting beside me on my bed. I glanced at her, and then shrugged.

"I need to clean up." I rose from the bed and left the room, walking towards the girl's washroom.

After everyone else woke up, Erica, Stephen and I left the "school" to get breakfast at Joy's diner. I didn't get out as much as my two friends since I spent most of my life in the punishment room, but when I did I spent every moment of it with my friends.

We entered the diner and the little bell at the top _dinged _and we took a seat at a table right in the middle.

I leaned back in my chair and studied the menu, not too pleased with the food, but pleased enough to eat it. The little bell went off once more as a bunch of rough looking boys entered, all sweaty.

Erica's eyes lit up as she watched one of the boys with much interest, following his every move. I turned my head to see who it was she was drooling over, and furrowed my eyebrows.

"Who's he?" I asked, looking back down at the menu. Erica blushed furiously and I heard Stephen laugh.

"His name's Blade," Stephen told me. He grinned at Erica and then looked at me. "He's a newsie."

"A what?" I asked, placing my menu down onto the table.

"A newsie," Stephen repeated. "You know, a newsboy – someone who sells newspapers to make money."

"Oh," I said, shrugging. "And Erica is fond of this Blade character?" I asked.

"I am not!" Erica snapped.

"What kind of name is Blade?" I asked curiously, laughing to myself.

"Newsies have nicknames," Stephen told me, looking down at his menu.

"Uh-huh," I said, sending him an odd glance. I ran a hand through my brownish blond hair and rolled my eyes at the commotion from behind me. I scanned the area with my bright blue eyes, and then glanced at the "newsies" behind me.

Some were smoking cigars, and I saw one pull out a stack of cards. I cocked an eyebrow, but turned my attention back to the menu before me. Stephen grinned and motioned for somebody to come over.

"Hey Spot," Stephen said, shaking hands with the boy who walked over. Erica grinned and nodded towards the boy.

"Heya," the boy said coolly. I guess he didn't know how creepy his voice really sounded. Well, I can tell you one thing, he didn't know about our secret lives. Nobody did. It was a rule not to tell anyone about the tests, and if he knew, then surely he'd say something about it.

"How are things going?" Stephen asked, carelessly throwing his menu down onto the table.

"A few problems with some newsies, but everythins goin good in my territory," the boy known as 'Spot' said in a deep Brooklyn accent, with a tint of Irish. He sounded so proud of himself, and it disgusted me.

"That's good," Stephen said. "Haven't seen you or your boys lately."

"Might not wanna, Cromwell, more fights are springin out," Spot said, sitting down in the chair beside Stephen. I glanced over at him, and frowned. What a waste of good looks on such a careless fool.

"Oh, Spot, I want you to meet my other friend Anomie Parker, and Anomie this is Spot Conlon-"

"Leadah of Brooklyn," Spot finished for him. I sat upright in my chair and looked straight at this Spot fellow.

"I don't care," I said coldly. Spot returned my cold stare and leaned forward as well.

"Well now," he said. "Aren't you da little devil." I narrowed my eyes and gently placed the menu down onto the table.

"I am many things, Mr. Conlon, and I can assure you that I am far worse than the _devil_," I said icily. Spot leaned his head back and squinted.

"Yer brave ta speak ta me like dat," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "It'll be smart ta keep yer mouth shut."

I moved my hair out of my face and stared at him blankly. "I don't take orders from street rats." From that one sentence I knew I got to him, but he wouldn't show it, and he probably even knew I could see it.

"Oh, I'm sorry we all can't be rich and spoiled like _you_. We don't all have parents dat'll get us everythin we want," Spot said calmly.

"Well, then maybe you should." I sent him a mock smile and then rose from the table and calmly left the diner. I could always eat breakfast with my friends another time, but for now I needed to come up with a plan for Erica.

**Author note: Okay, I know this sounds confusing right now, and hopefully you'll get it by the next, or maybe more, chapter.**


	3. Chapter Two

**Author note: Okay, so, here's Chapter Two!**

I walked silently down the streets, not even paying attention to the world around me. I stared straight ahead at the huge building I was coming up on, with a winding forest behind it.

My life was a game to him – Ned, I mean. Everyone's was. We lost many kids each day, and it didn't affect that coldhearted man. All he wanted was to see who would survive in the end, and to make my life a living hell. I knew that if I died during this 'game' of his, then Daniel would be doomed for sure.

My father wasn't doing any good with helping me either. He was making thousands off of all of this. That's right; they pay parents to put their children through this. If I died then that meant no more money for my dad, and trust me, if Daniel's life wasn't in danger then I'd already be dead so my good for nothing father would lose all of his riches.

I clenched my fists as I inched closer to the building, but stopped right in front of one of Brooklyn's many millionaire houses. I slowly ascended the stairs and to the door. I sighed deeply as I twisted the knob and entered my father's house.

I closed the door shut behind me and cursed myself for entering the house.

"Anomie," one of the maids said, stopping in her tracks. I stared at her blankly and then walked right past her.

"Where is Christopher?" I asked, referring to my father. Never in my life would I ask where my 'father' was.

"He is out, Miss," the maid said, following me up the staircase and to the second floor.

"Where did he go?" I asked bluntly.

The maid struggled to keep up with me, tripping over her feet from time to time as we started on the staircase for the third floor. "He had a meeting," she said.

I rolled my eyes and sped up. "He doesn't have a meeting; he's out spending every penny he has!" I then made it to my temporary room, when I was home, and slammed the door in the maid's face like she was never there.

I fell backwards onto my bed and stared lifelessly up at the ceiling. So many mysteries to uncover and so little time. Sometimes life just didn't offer enough time.

I sat up slightly and propped myself up with my elbows, glancing around the luxurious room that was sometimes mine. Ned let us stay with our families on the weekends, when we didn't have tests, and I felt more safe here than at that damned school. It was true that I hated father more than Ned, because this was his fault, but I loved living here more than living at that school.

To me the world was rotating in the wrong direction; has been for the past five years. Everything was a huge blur, and I was pretty sure I was going to wake up from this nightmare, or at least I believed that many years ago.

I laid back down on the bed and turned over to my side, staring at the window. Today was Friday, so Erica wouldn't have to go through her task until Monday. All I knew was that Erica would need my help, but I couldn't help her when Ned was everywhere.

I closed my eyes briefly until I heard a knock at my door. "Go away, I'm plotting a murder!" I screamed, not even moving from my position.

"Uh, Miss. Parker, your friends are here," came a frightened voice from the other side. I rose from the bed and opened the door, staring at the maid.

"Thank you," I said with no emotion, which probably made me look scary. I carelessly walked past her and down the endless flights of stairs until I came upon Stephen and Erica on the first floor.

"Anomie, why did you leave?" Erica quickly asked once she saw me walking down the stairs.

"Why stay when there's a bonehead trying to showoff at your table?" I asked with a slight shrug.

"Oh Anomie, Spot was just being a jerk. That's what he is, a jerk. Has been since ever he became king of this wretched land," Erica said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, well, he can fall of the damn bridge for all I care," I said, escorting my two best friends into the study. I sat down on one of the leather couches and watched as my friends did the same.

"You guys can drool over Spot later, right now we need to talk about the upcoming task," Stephen said with a roll of his eyes. I stared right through Stephen easily, giving him an icy look.

"Drool over that buffoon? Sorry to spoil the fun, my dear friend, but any girl to ever fall for that cockroach has to be way over their heads," I said, never looking away from Stephen.

Stephen sighed and shook his head. "Focus, Anomie, focus!" he said.

"I am focusing; maybe you'd like to try."

"Okay, you two shut up! I need help, and if I don't survive through this…this fire then I'll…be dead!" Erica exclaimed. I switched a softer gaze over to my less strong friend and laughed slightly, something I didn't do often.

"Really now? I honestly didn't know _that _would happen," I told her. Erica scolded, but laughed it off.

"I think we heard Anomie laugh just a second ago," she told Stephen.

"Yeah," Stephen agreed. "The dead can laugh?"

I threw one of the throw pillows at Stephen and retained my blank expression. "Shut up you goose!" I said.

"Goose? All you could come up with is goose? Anomie – the best name caller of all times – came up with goose? Okay, this world has officially reached its limit!" Stephen laughed and threw the pillow back at me, and I caught it with one hand like it was nothing. Well, it was nothing actually.

"Hush up Stephen. Concentrate!" I scolded my clueless friend.

Stephen shrugged and looked at Erica, a more serious expression now pasted to his face. Yeah, pasted. "Have any of us actually had that test yet?" he asked. I rolled my eyes.

"I have, idiot! I've been through almost every test there is," I told him.

Stephen shrugged, "So tell us about it."

I sat up straight on the couch and pushed my hair behind my ears. "Well, the fire is a simple test to see how well you can take heat. They'll literally set the room on fire for a certain period of time, and you have to survive. They can't keep the fire going too long, because they'll end up spreading it."

Erica scratched her head in confusion. "But how do you survive in a room completely on fire?" she asked.

I smiled mischievously at my friends. "The key is to find the key," I said. Stephen rolled his eyes.

"Explain," he said.

"Well, you can't just stand there in the room waiting for them to open the door; you have to find the key to unlock it. Trust me, you won't be alive by the time they open the door. So, they mainly hide the key in the places you'll never think to look. All you have in the room is a bucket of water and a key."

"What do you do with the water?" Erica asked.

"Well, some people have tried pouring it on the flames, but what's the chance of you getting rid of the whole fire? What I did was poured the water on me," I said, shrugging.

"That all?" Stephen asked.

Erica stared at him in disbelief. "That all? That all? Are you kidding me? That's too much for me! There is no way in hell that I'm surviving that task!" Erica yelled.

"Well, you don't have much of a choice. You either survive, or you die," I said.

"See ya in the afterlife," she said, pretending to wave goodbye. Stephen chuckled and leaned back.

"You two are a handful," he said, running his fingers through his dark brown hair.

"That's not my fault," Erica shrugged. She grinned as she rose from the couch and observed the many books on the shelves. "Anomie's the one everyone can't handle."

"Yeah, well, that isn't my fault either," I said, fiddling with my fingers. Erica pulled one of the books off of the shelf and flipped through the pages.

"Good story," she said, closing the book shut and returning it to the shelf.

"Well, I have to go see Spot," Stephen said, looking down at his pocket watch.

"Miss your man already?" I asked, grinning. Stephen sent me a glare and rose to his feet.

"That's gross, Anomie, real gross," he said.

"Oh, I want to come, please? Will Blade be there?" Erica practically jumped on Stephen with questions. I rose to my feet.

"Whoa there lover girl," I said, prying her away from Stephen. "You know the rules, no falling in love."

"But you disobey the rules," Erica whined.

I sent Stephen a look and rubbed my chin. "Yes, yes I do. But I'm a bad example, don't be like me," I said, patting her back.

"But why? I really, really like him! He's so handsome, and funny, and sweet and-"

"Doesn't know about your secret," I said, cutting her off. "Listen, Erica, I'm going to be honest with you. One of these days you may not come out alive, and then he's going to be wondering where his…his…beloved is, and won't ever know the truth."

"Yeah, Erica, it'll be harsh," Stephen said.

Erica frowned and sighed. "I know, but I'm willing to take that chance. I really like him," she said. "Can I still go?"

"Yeah," Stephen said.

"Are you coming too, Anomie?" Erica asked me.

"Oh, uh, no thanks," I said, clasping my hands together.

"Please, please, please?" Erica begged, attaching herself to me. I blinked a couple of times and pried her off of me.

"Okay, okay, I'll go," I said, sighing. "But don't expect me to get along with dog-boy."

Erica giggled and literally dragged Stephen and I out of the house. Sometimes I wondered if people were curious about the white bandages around our wrists…

**Author note: No newsies action in this story – not much anyways – but it shall come soon, so keep your chin up!**


	4. Chapter Three

**Author note: Yay, another chapter, whoohoo!**

I walked at a slow pace beside Erica and Stephen, not sure where we were going. They had said we were going to go visit that Spot jerk, so why were we going this way?

We came upon Brooklyn's most famous docks, and now I know why we came this way. I narrowed my eyes when I saw that Spot guy sitting up on a perch, watching everyone closely. It kind of looked a bit creepy to see him just staring intently at a bunch of boys.

Stephen approached Spot first, and Spot jumped down from the perch and shook hands with Stephen.

"Glad ya can make it," Spot said, not showing any kind of emotion on his face, exactly like mine. I crossed my arms over my chest and relaxed my features into a careless form. Spot then planted a small kiss upon Erica's hand, but it didn't affect my friend.

"Where's Blade?" Erica asked, grinning. I rolled my eyes as Spot chuckled.

"Should be in da water," he said. He then noticed me and looked me up and down with a disgusted look.

I lifted my head and peered at him coldly. "Got a problem, newsie?" I asked.

Spot walked towards me and towered over me like he was the almighty king. "Yeah, in fact I do. Get off my docks," he told me. I stepped closer and looked him in the eyes with a much more intense glare than he held.

"Last time I checked you didn't own the docks, street rat," I said calmly.

"You know, if you were a guy den you'd already be beggin for mercy!" Spot hissed.

I tilted my head slightly in a challenging way. "What, don't hit girls? Are you a coward?"

"I ain't no coward!" Spot snapped, stepping closer. He just seemed to want to get on my bad side.

"Prove it!" I said. Spot growled and without warning he shoved me backwards by my shoulders, and I heard Erica and Stephen gasp as I caught my balance easily.

"Uh-oh," Erica said, stepping back.

I held fire in my eyes, and in the blink of an eye I had Spot's cane entwined in my fingers and pushed him backwards into the river.

The splash was loud, and this time it was the other newsies who gasped. Erica's jaw dropped open, and then she began to laugh uncontrollably.

I walked up to the side of the dock and squatted down, staring at the 'Brooklyn leader' as he resurfaced and glared intensely at me. "Don't ever shove me," I warned him.

Spot swam over to the ladder and pulled himself up onto the docks, soaking wet. He held his cap in his hand that he had retrieved from the surface and stared at me in disbelief. I suppose nobody ever pushed him in the river, who'd of thought?

"Give me my cane!" he growled. I raised my eyebrows and twisted the cane in my fingers and held it out to him. He angrily jerked it away and I resumed my careless form.

"You have some water on your shirt," I said, nodding towards him. He snorted in disgust and turned away from me, pulling off his shirt and throwing it aside, showing his bare chest like I was going to drool over him or something.

I rolled my eyes and leaned against one of the posts, and watched as Erica's eyes lit up when that Blade guy came out of the water.

"Hey Blade!" Erica squealed, and quickly covered her mouth with her hand. Blade chuckled and nodded towards her.

"Hey Erica," he said, grinning. He took her hand and kissed it gently, causing Erica to giggle slightly, and her cheeks to turn a deep scarlet red.

Stephen sent me a worried look as Erica looked to the ground, the color in her cheeks deepening.

Spot folded his arms firmly over his chest and, after sending me another look of disgust, started up a conversation with Stephen.

"Anomie, I'd like you to meet Blade, and Blade, this is Anomie," Erica said, dragging Blade over to me.

I gave him a quick, fake smile and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you," I said.

Blade nodded, "You too."

"So, are you like the jackass's slaves?" I asked, waving my hand lazily at Spot.

Blade laughed slightly and rubbed the back of his head. "Nah, he don't treat us like slaves. He's a good leadah actually, jus' stubborn," he told me.

"Funny, that's exactly how Anomie is," Erica said, looking at me accusingly. I sent her a glare and crossed my arms loosely over my chest.

"Ya know, you're quite funny," Blade told me. "I ain't evah seen someone stand up ta Spot like dat. It's was nice seein a goil do it."

"Well, I find it pretty said that a 'goil' is brave enough to stand up to him, and you boys aren't," I said, using emphasis on 'goil'.

Blade laughed and rested his arm on Erica's shoulder. "You should really think 'bout becomin a newsie; we could use some toughness."

"I don't think so," a cold voice cut in. I glanced over at Spot, and rolled my eyes. "Brooklyn don't need _her_."

I stood up straight as the corners of my lips just barely rose. "Well, I wouldn't want to be a _newsie _anyway, because I have far more important things to do other than spend my life selling _newspapers_," I said.

Spot smirked, something that made him look even more aggravating, and lazily fiddled with his cane. "Well you don't ever have ta worry 'bout dat, 'cause I'll never let ya join."

I shrugged and resumed leaning against the post and closed my eyes. "I'm just wasting my time being here," I said clearly. I opened my eyes and peered at Erica. "Why did I come again?"

"Because I begged you to," Erica said, grinning.

"You coulda done better den her," Spot said, thinking that he had gotten the upper hand in being intimidating.

I glanced over at him again and sighed. "I pity you," I told him. Yeah, but not as much as I pity myself, I thought. "You are wasted in this world like the many that don't have a life."

Spot furrowed his eyebrows in anger and clutched his cane. He opened his mouth to say something, but then realized that he didn't have a comeback to that. It was true – his life was wasted, so what was there to live for?

"You know, Anomie, I think it's best if I don't bring you along anymore," Stephen laughed, scratching his head.

Spot still stared at me in a disbelieving way. What, was he still surprised that I talked to him in a rude way? I shrugged to myself and stared down at my feet boredly. I have got to quit giving into Erica's pleading.

"I think we found someone as cold as Spot," I heard Blade whisper, which caused me to chuckle slightly.

Spot sent him a glare and approached him. "What was dat?" he asked. Blade gulped and coward beneath his leader.

"Nothin," he said. I rolled my eyes and furrowed my eyebrows.

"Yeah Blade, he's such a great leader," I said, which caused Spot to turn his cold gaze over to me.

"Stay outta dis, you goil!" he said.

My eyes lit up in amusement and I moved forward. "Oh yeah, good one," I said mockingly.

"You know, I don't usually hit goils, but yer startin ta get on my last nerves!" said an angered Spot.

"Really now? You know what? I don't really care," I said cockily. Spot moved forward like he was going to do something, but Stephen caught his arm.

"Will you two stop it?" asked Stephen, stepping in between us. "I mean, you just met and you're already at each other's throats!"

"Don't worry Stephen, I won't hurt him," I said, sending Spot an aggravated look. Spot narrowed his eyes.

"You, hoit me? Da day a goil hoits me is da day dat hell freezes ovah!"

"Well then you might want to grab a coat," I said.

Erica snickered and leaned on Blade a bit. "Yeah Spot, Anomie's pretty tough," she said.

"Ain't tough enough to beat me," the arrogant leader said.

"Is that a challenge?" I asked him, calmly stepping closer just to be intimidating.

Spot smirked and shoved his hands into his pockets. "It would be if you were a guy."

Erica smacked her forehead and sighed. "Anomie, please don't start a fight," she pleaded. I sent her a glance and stepped back, and leaned against the post again.

"Alright," I shrugged, staring blankly at Spot. Spot smirked and ran his rough hand through his sandy brown hair, and chuckled when he saw me glaring.

"What's yer name again?" he asked rudely.

I rolled my eyes and shrugged. "Why should I waste my breath on telling you, you probably wouldn't even remember it with your short term memory," I said.

Spot raised his eyebrows in amusement and looked over at Stephen. "Yer friend doesn't seem ta like me much," he told him, his smirk becoming even more disgusting than it already was.

I smiled slightly, a fake smile, and told him, "You may think that the world adores you, dog-boy, but this is reality so why don't you come back to it?"

Erica giggled slightly and shook her head. "I'm telling you, Anomie puts up a good fight, Spot," she told the newsie leader.

"What kinda name is Anomie?" Spot asked childishly.

I then burst out laughing and nearly doubled over, and shocked Erica and Stephen completely. "What kind of name is Anomie? Get real, what kind of name is Spot? Oh, wait, that's right, you're a dog," I said, ceasing me laughter instantly.

"I'll have you know dat my name is for pride!" Spot snapped.

"Yeah, it's real manly," I told him.

Stephen sighed and laughed to himself. "Great, I have the two most stubborn people on this earth in the other's presence; this isn't ever going to end," he said, massaging his temples.

"Hey, I told you I didn't want to come. You should've known that I wouldn't get along with this dog," I said, nodding towards Spot.

Spot bent down and picked up a slingshot and grasped it in his right hand. "Yer already on my nerves," he said, pointing in my direction with his cane. "Go commit suicide, nobody wants ya here."

I smirked this time and connected with my eyes with his, and said coldly, "You can count on that real soon."

**Author note: Hmm, I'm debating on whether or not I'm going to do the "Next Chapter" thing for this story. What do you guys think?**


	5. Chapter Four

**Author note: Yeah, I know I'm writing this late, but I had a hell of an odd day. I'm a bit hyped up on teddy grams and running over Harry Potter with a lego Knight bus 'cause it's fun to see little lego men fly through the air.**

I sat in the study, a book out in front of me. I scanned over the page quickly and then turned it to the other page. Just yesterday I had frightened Erica to death about the suicide thing; I suppose she doesn't know sarcasm.

I licked at my lips boredly and slammed the book shut and threw it aside.

"I'm glad that you enjoy taking care of our novels," a cold voice said from the doorway.

I narrowed my eyes angrily and stared right at him. He never came home last night; probably found a prostitute to play with.

"Oh yes, I'd never harm any of your _precious _books," I told him venomously.

"Don't smart mouth me!" Christopher – my lousy father – snapped. "Have I taught you no manners?"

"No," I said bluntly.

"Well maybe you should learn some," Christopher said, leaving the room with an evil aura following him.

"Jackass," I muttered as I stood to my feet and softly walked to the front door. I swung it open and stomped out into the blood thirty streets of Brooklyn, a deadly air engulfing the buildings.

I stared for a minute at some passer-bys and then walked off down the sidewalk. So many things to think about, but so little patience to think them over. I stared dully ahead of me and then turned into Joy's diner.

Just as I had thought my two best friends were sitting at the table in the middle, and immediately greeted me with their warm smiles.

"No interruptions?" I asked before sitting down.

"No interruptions," Erica promised. I then sat down in one of the chairs and looked at Erica's menu.

"You know, I wish that the big guy would make up a test just for me," Stephen said nonchalantly.

I laughed slightly and then decided that I'd have coffee to wake me up. Erica agreed, but Stephen stuck with bacon and eggs.

"So, Anomie, do you think I'll be able to pass?" Erica asked as we waited for the waiter to bring our orders.

"Sure if you try hard," I said, leaning back in my chair and closing my eyes.

The little bell at the top of the door dinged, and I opened my eyes slightly and nearly fell back out of my chair.

Oh great, just what I needed: Spot Conlon.

Spot strode over like he was God's perfect creation and without hesitation plopped down in the chair just across from me.

"Hey Stephen," he said, shaking hands with my friend.

"Spot," Stephen said, waiting eagerly for his breakfast.

"Hey Spot, where's Blade?" Erica immediately asked, looking around to see if Blade came in with Spot.

"He ain't done sellin da mornin edition," Spot said with a shrug. I crossed my arms over my chest and looked around the small café. There were families here and there, and very few that were alone.

I then felt a pair of eyes on me and looked over at the Brooklyn boy. "What?" I asked rudely.

Spot shrugged and propped his elbows up onto the table. "Jus' lookin at ya," he said like it was no big deal. "It ain't illegal is it?"

"It might be where I come from," I muttered, remembering the stupid rules from our school.

Spot raised his eyebrows and then leaned back in his chair slightly, and firmly crossed his arms. "Yer mean ya know dat?" he suddenly asked.

"Yes, I know," I answered honestly. "And you have too much pride, you know that?"

A smirk appeared on his face as he glanced over at Stephen. "You ain't da foist ta point dat out." God his accent was so annoying, yet it suited him well.

"Wait please tell me that this is a dream!" Erica exclaimed. "You two aren't fighting! It's a miracle!"

I rolled my eyes and then watched as the waiter brought us our breakfast. I slowly sipped on my black coffee, and let the dullness of it trickle down my throat.

"So, Spot, how are things going so far?" Stephen asked boredly, chewing on his breakfast.

Spot shrugged and pulled his cap off of his head and placed it on the table. "Pretty good I guess; had ta get on one of me boys yesterday for talkin back."

"Oh yes, because it is such a sin to talk rudely to Spot Conlon," I said, setting down my cup of coffee.

Spot narrowed his eyes at me and tilted his head. "As a mattah of fact it is a sin," he said coolly, his smirk gone.

I raised my eyebrows and leaned back. "I'm a sinner," I said calmly.

Erica and Stephen laughed slightly as Spot just shook hid head. "What's yer name, Anorm? Well Anorm, you have been on my bad side lately, so why not take a stroll ovah to da good side?"

"It'll probably just be as hideous as it is on this side," I told him.

Spot chuckled and glanced over at my friends. "You aren't affected by my good looks?" he asked.

"Oh, I'll admit that you have good looks, but it's your attitude that ruins it," I said truthfully.

"Oh I have an attitude? Den what do _you _have?" asked Spot.

"Very little patience."

I had to force Stephen to finish his breakfast early, because we had to go back to the school to get our numbers recarved for the new month. It took forever for Erica and Stephen to convince Spot to leave, and after I threatened him, he left angrily, cursing under his breath.

We entered the school against our will and slowly walked into the main hall. We sat down at one of the tables and looked at the many people at the front, waiting to carve to numbers.

"Numbers 182, 134, 167, and 178," a man called from the front. I watched as some of the kids got up and reluctantly walked to the front and sat down in front of the carvers.

Erica looked nervous as she unwrapped her bandage and stared down at her number. She glanced up at me and gave a weak smile as the next numbers were soon called.

"Numbers 112, 124, 118, and 101," the man boomed. Stephen, Erica and I stood up and walked to the front, Danny, 118, following.

I sat across a woman who grabbed my right arm and turned it over so that my wrist was showing. She took her sharp knife and dug it deeply in my skin over the old scarred number.

I watched as blood seeped down to my palms and then looked over at Erica who was biting her lip. I sighed in frustration and turned my attention back to the woman as she finished the first number: 1.

She waited for a minute until my palms were now holding a small puddle of blood and then she began the 0. I had to admit, zeros hurt the most because it was oval shape, and from what I seen it was complicated to carve a 0 in someone's flesh.

The puddle in my palm became deeper as she slowly finished up the 0 and then went on to the last 1. I didn't feel the pain as much as I made it look.

The woman finished and then handed me a small towel to wipe the blood with and I poured the puddle in my palm into a container that was labeled: 101. We were instructed to let the blood flow into our hands, and I wasn't sure why.

I walked back over to the table and held the towel onto my wrist and watched as Erica rushed over, tears staining her face.

"Oh, Erica, are you alright?" I asked my friend. Erica managed to nod as Stephen joined us, and didn't look too pleasant either. I, on the other hand, didn't show any sign of pain as we sat there for awhile, waiting for our numbers to stop bleeding.

It took about an hour until the bleeding stopped, and we washed the blood off our hands. I wrapped the white bandage around my wrist and then glanced over at Erica who seemed to be in pain.

Just as we were getting ready to leave, someone stopped me.

"101, Mr. Neeley would like to see you in the punishment room," the man told me.

I sighed in aggravation and glared at him. "What in the hell does he want?" I asked rudely, following the man to the punishment room. He ignored my question as I slowly entered the room.

Ned was sitting behind the table, and once he noticed me he motioned for me to sit across from him.

I did as I was told and plopped down in front of him.

"What?" I asked lazily.

Ned smirked and arranged some papers on the table. "Tell me something, Anomie, does this boy look familiar to you?" Ned asked, pushing a picture in front of me.

I stared down at a picture of a boy who seemed to be at the age of ten. His hair was a dirty blonde, and his eyes were a bright blue.

"Daniel," I whispered, picking up the picture and studying it closely. He was in a room, and didn't look too happy. I was fuming now. "Where is he?" I demanded.

Ned chuckled and then placed another picture in front of me. In this picture Daniel was lying on the ground, bleeding and crying.

I jumped to my feet, which caused the chair to fall down behind me. "What in the hell did you do to him?" I yelled, the blood in my veins growing cold.

"Now, now, Anomie," Ned said. "Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down you sick, fucked up man! If there is one thing in your life that you'll regret it's ever hurting him! I'm going to kill you!" I lunged forward to attack him, but the guards caught me and began to drag me out of the room.

I screamed to the top of my lungs in protest. "I'll kill you! I swear I will!"

Once we were out in the hallway I pushed away the guards forcefully and ran away from them, down the long never-ending hallway.

I then stopped and pounded the sides of my fists against the wall as I breathed heavily. I felt bad for my brother, and wished that he could be freed, and I wished I could be freed.

I turned around and leaned against the wall and slid down to a sitting position and tried to calm my nerves.

Once I decided that I was calm enough to leave I stormed over to the docks where Stephen and Erica told me to meet them. I saw Spot standing with them. Just great, someone to make me even angrier.

I appeared at Erica's side, and just by looking in my eyes she knew that I wasn't in a good mood. Stephen felt the tension in me too and said nothing.

Spot on the other hand decided that he wanted to die today…

**Next Chapter: Anomie is pissed beyond recognition and is ready to murder someone. Spot decides to get on her nerves, and ends up getting hit.**

**Author note: Tadah! A new chapter, yay!**


	6. Chapter Five

**Author note: Sorry I didn't update yesterday, I went to see Ice Age 2! Lol, it was so cute!**

Spot sent me one of his disgusted looks and unbuttoned his shirt slightly. "Hey Anorm," he said cockily.

I narrowed my eyes and clenched my jaw and set my lips in a thin line. "Go kill yourself Conlon!" I snapped angrily.

Spot chuckled and stepped forward slightly. "Aren't you jus' tha funny one," he said.

Erica sent him a warning glance, but Spot didn't catch it.

Yer bravery amuses me," I said with no emotion. The image of Daniel's bleeding body came back to mind and I squeezed my eyes shut. He was still alive, he just had to be!

"You spoiled rich brats aggravate me," Spot announced proudly.

I opened my eyes and glared at him. "Spoiled?" I asked more to myself than to him. I then directed my attention back to him. "You know nothing about me, street rat, so don't go judging people!"

"Calm down," Erica whispered.

"Don't worry 'bout it, Erica, she ain't botherin me," Spot said. "She's jus' bein a pest."

My nails dug deep into my skin and I bit my tongue to keep from losing control. Spot chuckled and leaned against a post.

"Am I gettin on yer noives, Anorm?" Spot asked amusingly.

"Bite your lip, Conlon, you're about to get hurt," I warned him.

"By who? You? Don't make me laugh," Spot sang. "Why don't you head back to yer _poifect _family and continue yer _poifect _life."

"Do you want to die?" I asked through clenched teeth. I wasn't afraid to kill Spot, because I've killed before.

"Are you planin on killin me?" Spot asked boredly.

"If that's the only way to silence you, then yeah," I answered him.

"Humor me," he said.

I relaxed my shoulders and turned to leave.

"Ya see, goils are weak," Spot said to one of the newsies with a laugh.

I twirled around and drew my arm back and my fist pounded into his jaw.

Spot stumbled backwards and nearly fell into the river, clutching his now bruised jaw. "Fuck!" Spot cursed loudly. "What in the hell?"

All eyes were now on me, watching me in shock and amusement. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I regained my calmness and let my arm drop to my side.

"How weak are we now, Conlon?" I asked lifelessly.

Spot stared at me with disbelieving eyes, and moved his hand from his jaw.

"Anomie!" Erica suddenly exclaimed. She instantly ran over to Spot and began to inspect the bruise.

Spot eyes were still on me, as wide as apples, and shock written in them. He moved his head away from Erica and motioned for her to leave him alone.

"Holy shit, she hit Spot!" I heard whispers. Spot removed his eyes from me and stared out at his boys.

"Silence!" Spot yelled, regaining his sense. He stormed over to me and got merely inches from my face.

"What in da hell makes you think you can touch me?" he hissed.

Unaffected, I answered, "You boys are so proud of yourself you think you're the only ones who can fight. So I proved you wrong."

Spot's eyes flared as he searched my face for any sign of life. "What are you, da walkin dead?" he asked.

"I'm as dead as you make me out to be," I whispered only so he could hear me. Spot furrowed his eyebrows in wonder and then moved away slightly.

"You think yer so great," he said loudly. "But when really you ain't worth anythin." Spot was laughing now, and his boys joined in.

I looked around at the faces, my arms firmly across my chest, my features showing no emotion. Inside I was screaming so loud that it made a buzzing noise in my ears.

I blinked, the only sign that I was still conscious, and opened my mouth, "No Spot," I said in a slow yet steady whisper. Spot stopped laughing at the sound of his name and listened. "I am nothing near great…"

Monday morning soon came, and I found myself slowly trudging towards the school. To Brooklyn it was "Neeley's school for boys and girls."

I slowly entered and signed in at the front desk and then followed Stephen and Erica to the main hall. We sat down at one of the tables and watched as a man walked to the front of the main hall and waited for everyone to quiet down.

"The first test, which will occur in just an hour, will be for number 124. The following test, at 10:00 a.m. is for 157, 3:00 is for 162, 6:00 is for 182, and to finish off the day at 10:00 p.m. is for 101. The rest of you are aloud to come and go as you please."

I shot my head up in surprise as I watched the man exit out of the main hall.

"Did he just say that I had a test at ten?" I asked.

"Yeah," Stephen said.

"I don't want to start the day off," Erica whispered.

I patted her back soothingly. "You'll be okay," I assured her.

I wasn't sure if I could do a test when I was so worked up about Daniel and so pissed off at Spot Conlon. How was I going to keep my mind on surviving?

For the next hour of the day Erica was freaking out, trying to keep calm. We sat in our room, Stephen with us, and waited for someone to come and get Erica for her test.

"Just remember to find the key," I told her. "They'll explain everything to you."

Erica nodded and tried to breath, but she was too afraid. The door suddenly opened and a man poked his head in.

"124," he said dully. Erica rose to her feet and sent us a frightened look as she left the room, her heart pounding loud enough to make the walls shake.

"So, are you worried about your test?" Stephen asked me as he sat on Erica's bed.

"Of course not," I said truthfully.

"Really? I mean, you have so much going on right now, what with your brother and all, are you sure you're going to be able to keep yourself calm?" Stephen asked, like he was reading my thoughts.

"I'm capable of passing, Stephen. I _always _pass. And Daniel's fine, he'll be safe real soon," I assured my friend.

Stephen shrugged as we left the room.

"Hey Anomie," some of the people greeted me. I sent them fake smiles and watched as they walked by.

"Hey Anomie, what're you gonna do about Erica?" someone asked me.

I ignored the questions people gave me and sent them dirty looks every time someone asked me about Erica.

People shut up from respect and lowered their heads, walking by. But, there was one person who wasn't afraid of me.

Madeline Stemple approached me once we made it outside, and crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't see me as a leader.

"Parker," she said, looking me up and down with disgust. Madeline was a very bulky and tall girl with dark brown, tangled hair and puky green eyes.

"Madeline Pimple," I laughed, looking up at her. Madeline stepped forward warningly and pushed on my shoulders.

"I hope your friend roasts in that fire," she said.

A wry smile spread across my lips as I shrugged. "If that's your wishes, then keep it to yourself," I told her as Stephen and I began to walk away.

I was always getting into endless fights with Madeline, and winning in the end. She may have looked as big as Goliath but she couldn't fight if her life depended on it.

"I ain't done with you!" Madeline yelled after us. I blocked out her annoyingly loud voice and began to hum loudly. Stephen laughed at my silliness as we walked through Brooklyn. I tried to feel free, but that feeling was erased whenever I thought about Daniel. How I wished he was here with me.

I stopped humming and replaced my silliness with emotionless as we walked down the street. I didn't know if Erica could survive for sure, but I had faith in her. She was madly in love with Blade, and would do anything to survive, just to see his face again.

I laughed at the thought of love. What was it exactly? I wasn't aloud to feel it, touch it, or even breathe it, so I never experienced it. Was it endless? Did it hurt? Were you supposed to fall in love eventually?

I knew loving your family/friends was different from actually loving someone. Love could mean many different things, depending on how you looked at it for a certain person.

I've only experience one love, and that was the love I held for my friends. I'd do anything for them. But "love", the actually love, never even crossed my path. So it was easy to follow the rules of the school. I'd never fall in love.

I was pulled from my thoughts, literally, when I felt someone jerk me backwards by my shoulders. I twirled around angrily and stared at Madeline.

"Don't you have people to go sit on?" I asked angrily.

"I wasn't finished with you, Parker!" Madeline hissed.

"Well I'd like to go at least one day without having to see your hideous face, you giant!" I shot back.

I watched as Madeline's angry face turned to surprise, and then girly. I furrowed my eyebrows and turned around to see what it was that she was looking at.

Spot was standing beside Stephen, looking at Madeline and me oddly. A purple bruise stood out on his jaw, but he still managed to look charming.

Oh, so Madeline when googly-eyed over Spot Conlon? I suddenly started laughing and shook my head. "You're easily distracted, Goliath," I told the giant in front of me.

Madeline turned her now hating gaze to me and narrowed her eyes.

Okay, so apparently a fight was about to break loose…

**Next Chapter: Madeline and Anomie fight, and one of them is injured.**

**Author note: Okay, be happy!**


	7. Chapter Six

**Author note: Blah, just read it! **

Madeline rolled her eyes and clenched her fists. "I'm Madeline," she said in a high-pitched, girly voice towards Spot.

Spot blinked a few times and stared at Madeline with his mouth hung open. She was taller than him, and made him look very weak.

I grinned and laughed again. "Wow Conlon, you work fast. Got yourself a girl," I said.

"You know him?" Madeline asked in an "oh-no-you-didn't" way.

"Sadly, yes," I told her.

Madeline narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her overlarge chest. "Well, don't know him," she said.

"You know, as much as I wish she didn't, ya can't erase tha past," Spot commented with a chuckle.

"Stay out of this you dog!" I snapped.

Spot sent me a glare. "Well apparently you don't need help," he said.

"Help from you? Oh please!" I said.

"Are you like his girl or something?" Madeline demanded to know.

"She wishes!" Spot exclaimed.

"In your dreams!" I shot back.

"Hey, don't talk to my man like that!" Madeline hissed, pushing me back.

I caught my balance and then stared at her in astonishment. "Whoa, when's the wedding?" I asked.

Spot just stood, staring at Madeline like she was some giant. Well, she was a giant actually.

"Soon," Madeline sang.

"Wait, when did dis happen?" Spot shouted.

I don't know what suddenly possessed me, but I angrily threw my fist at Madeline's nose and blood seeped from her nostrils. She growled angrily and hurled at me forcefully.

I moved to the side and she landed in the dirt, but immediately jumped to her. She swung her right arm, I ducked, and then she swung her left arm and I caught it. I pounded my fist into her stomach three times and then brought her chin to my knee.

The oversized girl fell into a heap onto the ground. But she didn't give up yet. She pushed herself to her feet and tackled my small form to the ground. The air was instantly knocked out of me from Madeline's immense weight, and I couldn't breathe.

I felt her fist collide with my cheek weakly, and then she slapped my other cheek. Okay, this would probably be the first time this ever happened, but she's huge!

With all my force I pushed Madeline off of me and regained my breath as I jumped to my feet and dragged Madeline to her feet. I made her bend down to my level and gripped her hair tightly and pulled her head back. I bent down and pulled a small knife out of the side of my shoe and held it to Madeline's neck.

"I can either slit your neck or poke your eyes out," I told her. "You choose."

Madeline whimpered and I let her go as she fell back to the ground. I returned the knife to its home. I turned my back to Madeline and didn't even pay attention to her as she got back to her feet.

Spot's eyes grew wide in horror and immediately jumped behind me and caught Madeline's arm before the knife in her hand impaled my back. Spot twisted Madeline's arm and the knife fell from her fingers and hit the ground. She stumbled backwards as Spot pushed her.

"What in the hell?" I asked confusedly.

Madeline looked from me to Spot and spit out, "I thought you said you weren't with her!"

"I ain't, but its weak ta attack someone with their back toined," Spot said.

Madeline spit in the dirt, blood and all, and retrieved her knife. "This ain't over, Parker," she said coolly as she turned and limped away.

When I could no longer see her I turned to Spot, astonished. "Why did you do that?" I asked.

"What do ya mean?" Spot asked, pulling his cane out of his belt loop.

"You could've let her kill me, but you didn't," I said, watching as he leaned against the wall of a building beside Stephen.

"Now why would I do dat?" he asked in a relaxed tone.

"Well, for revenge. I did punch you," I reminded him.

"Yeah, so? I ain't gonna get revenge by lettin her hoit ya. I can get my own revenge," he said.

I was still confused about many things. Why did I suddenly go insane on Madeline? Why did Spot help me? Why was I still thinking of myself when Erica is on a dangerous test?

I licked at my lips and the hesitantly told him, "Thanks."

After Stephen had a long chat with Spot and a boy named Chuckles, who was very bulky and strong looking, and I wandered around Brooklyn, we finally headed back to the school to see how Erica was doing.

Once we entered my room we found Erica standing in front of the mirror, already tending to her wounds.

"Erica," I said.

Erica grinned at me and showed us a very disgusting looking burn on her right arm that she was tending to. "When you play with fire you may get burned," she laughed. She looked a bit damp, so that told me she went with my water method.

"I'm proud," Stephen laughed, giving her a short hug.

Erica laughed and then wrapped a bandage around her wound and then her wrist. "Did you guys go see Spot?"

"Yep, and kicked Madeline's ass," I said triumphantly.

"That's no surprise," Erica sighed. She then dropped the sarcasm and her face went completely serious. "Did you find out what your test was?" she asked.

I plopped down onto my bed and shook my head. "Nope, haven't gotten word yet," I said boredly. "I mean, it's not like I'm not able to pass it, whatever it is. It'll probably be an old test I've done in the past."

"I hope, because if they start popping up with new tests at a time like this then we are all doomed," Erica said.

"Well, what if it is a new one? I mean, they always practice the new ones on Anomie," Stephen spoke up.

I furrowed my eyebrows and then rose from the bed. "I need to see Cadince," I said.

Stephen and Erica nodded and I quickly fled the room. Okay, if there is anybody who knows _almost _more than I do it's my good friend Cadince.

Cadince Idi was a mischievous girl with a lot of spunk. Her number is 102, and only arrived at Ned's school a week after I did. From then on she was the one I hung out with, and the way our attitudes mixed you could mistake us for sisters. Cadince had a bit of mouth like me, but she had a heart. She's what keeps this school alive – literally. Well, her humorous attitude, and my bold attempts at keeping people in line, we technically ran the school.

She and I could confuse someone by finishing the other's sentence, and I had to admit, her silliness did made me smile slightly. I said _slightly_. My heartless ways may have rubbed off on her a bit, but she still had a hell of a lot of energy, and to be honest, people were pretty sure she would get killed in a task pretty soon. She was a bit careless at times, but I had more faith in her.

You would probably think that Cadince was the second-in-command of the school, but that's where I draw the line. Never in a million years would I put her in charge of helping people if I were to suddenly disappear. That's what I had Stephen for – good ol' Stephen.

Without knocking I walked through the door to Cadince's room, and found her sitting on her bed, her feet propped up on her nightstand.

I closed the door behind me and mysteriously leaned against it. "What did you hear?" I asked under my breath.

Cadince raised her head and peered up at me beneath her hat. Sometimes she tried too hard to be mysterious. "Honestly?" she asked doubtfully.

"Nothing, huh?" I asked.

"Nah, they seem to be having you on some kind of top secret test," she said lazily as she pushed herself to a sitting position. "A bunch of dumbasses running that desk upfront," she laughed.

"And you're just now noticing?" I asked, sending her a look. Cadince never seemed to be affected by my dark self. She always said there was a side of me dying to break loose, I just hid it well.

"Hey, I'm just now noticing a lot of things," she shrugged. "Like the fact that you and your friends have been around a bunch of newsies lately."

"What are you a stalker?" I asked coolly.

"Probably," Cadince said. "But that one guy, what do you call him – dog-boy? – kind of freaks me out."

"Why?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. "He's just an immature jackass, nothing freaky about that."

"I don't know, he just has this vibe propelling off of him, and I watch the two of you argue and some serious shit could happen," she said dramatically.

"What do you mean?" I asked frustrated.

"I'm not sure, but if you wanted to, the two of you could kill each other in a brawl," she said. "But, something is just different the way you argue. Anomie, have you ever experienced love?"

I nearly fell to my feet at her question. Wasn't I just thinking about love today? "No!" I snapped. "Cadince, you know I don't believe in love!"

"I don't know, it seems to me like you're just now recognizing it," Cadince commented.

"For who?" I yelled.

"I don't know. Stephen? Trevor? Alex? ...Spot Conlon?"

My eyes widened in horror. "Me? In love with Spot Conlon? I just met the boy, Idi! And for one, I can't stand him, and two he's a stuck up show off!" I protested.

"Interesting," Cadince said, squinting. "You didn't say a word about the other boys…you just jumped right into Spot. Maybe you don't love him – and I can see that you don't – but you are growing used to him. Who knows, maybe someday you'll find it in you to actually have feelings for the boy."

Me, Anomie Parker, would not, could not, and should not ever love! I wasn't aloud to love, and I wouldn't start now!

**Next Chapter: Anomie has a secret test with Stephen and Cadince, and can't believe the horror of the secret…for the first time ever Anomie expresses emotion through tears…**

**Author note: Okay, so, I hope you enjoyed!**


	8. Chapter Seven

**Author note: Okay, so here's the things: I write, you review, nothing hard about that. For those of you who do review (and it's the same people every time so I remember who exactly reviews) thanks! I'm glad out of the 100 people who read that you guys take the time to review. Thanks a lot, and here's this chapter!**

**Oh, and just so all of you know, you pronounce Anomie like: A-no-me. Just wanted everybody to know.**

After I had the most awkward talk with Cadince I walked back to my room in deep thought. Whatever Ned had in store for me I had a feeling I wasn't going to like it. Why start giving out new tests at a time like this?

I shrugged off my unanswered questions and entered my room soulfully. Erica was sprawled out on her bed, talking with Stephen who sat at the edge of my bed.

"Hey Anomie," Erica greeted me.

I sent her a short glance and then sat on the large windowsill, not even greeting her back. Small rain droplets beat against the window in sorrow and slid down carelessly. Off in the distance I imaged people walked upon the docks in which I could vaguely see from the window. I imaged the grubby newsboys jumping off the side and ducking into the cold, comforting river.

How I longed to feel the freedom they felt each day of their lives. How I longed to do whatever I pleased at any given time on any given day. How I longed to sit in a church and listen to a preacher talk about God and how he helped people through their troubles. How I longed to have a perfect family with perfect parents and siblings, and sit in our perfect dining room each night and eat dinner together.

But none of that could be given to me. I was a prisoner locked up in my own imagination, kept deep within a school of horror because some sick man wanted to see children die at the most insane tests. I could never sit in a church and learn more about our creator – I wasn't allowed. I wasn't allowed to be free, and nobody else in the world would know how hollow being a prisoner made you feel.

If we shed tears, we didn't have anyone there to comfort us. If we died, nobody would care enough to mourn for us. If we became murderers, nobody cared if you died or not. That's just the way things are, and if we even fell in love, then only the worst could happen.

I knew if I stared hard enough I could probably see the leader himself on his perch of royalty, lecturing his newsies on how to do this, and how to do that. Hell – I'd rather be there than here.

I wasn't quite sure how long I had sat there, but the sun went down and the moon no longer hid. The door to our room slowly opened and a deep voice spoke, "101 and 112."

I turned my head and peered at a man, and reluctantly rose from the windowsill. What did they need Stephen for?

The man led us to the front desk where some other men stood, and the murderer himself: Ned Neeley. Cadince was at his side, sending him dirty looks when he turned his head.

"Ah, Anomie, Stephen," Ned said with a laugh that would've sent chills up and down my spine, but instead I felt a deep hatred.

"What is all of this about?" I suddenly asked, not even caring about using the thing adults called manners.

Ned chuckled and held a piece of paper between his fingers. "It is time for your test," he spoke.

"So why are they here?" I asked.

Ned looked from Cadince to Stephen, and then settled his eyes upon me. "I forgot to mention it, but they are also apart of this. I mean, you can't do this alone," Ned told us.

I furrowed my eyebrows as Ned nodded for us to remove our bandages. We did as we were told, and I stared down achingly at the number on my wrist.

"Follow me," Ned spoke. We followed him and two other men out the back door and entered the dreary forest that held the scent of death. I took in a deep breath unnoticeably and then let it out slowly. He was up to something, and I could read it in his eyes.

Deeper and deeper we walked into the forest, and my long skirt that we girls were made to wear was dragging in the mud from the rain that occurred earlier that day.

We soon stopped and I could see through the blackness of the sky that there was a huge bag lying on the ground, and it looked as if someone stuffed rocks in it.

"What is this?" I asked.

"Open the bag," Ned instructed.

Cadince moved towards the bag, but Ned gripped her shoulder. "No…Anomie," he said in a deadly whisper.

I sent him a disgusted look and then moved forward towards the bag and bent down. The bag reeked badly and I had to hold my nose as I reached down and gripped the opening of the bag.

Whatever was in here was getting ready to be exposed. I licked my lips doubtfully and in one swift movement I pulled the bag down and fell backwards to the ground with a small scream.

Stephen jumped backwards, and Cadince probably would of flew back too if Ned wasn't still gripping her shoulder.

I stared wide-eyed in horror, and blinked a couple of times as Ned chuckled. "Now do you see why you needed help, Anomie?" he asked.

"You…Why…How…." I was at lost of words, and couldn't find my breath.

"What are we supposed to do with a dead body?" Cadince shrieked.

And to answer her question a few more men appeared, holding shovels in their hands.

"I'm not burying a body," Stephen said, a look of pure disgust on his face.

I was still stunned. I knew this person, I knew them well. But why would Ned kill someone so close to him?

I finally rose to my feet, face red with fury, eyes narrowed in anger. "How could you kill your own wife?" I yelled.

Ned raised his eyebrows and stepped closer to the body, and peered down at Josephine Neeley. "She knew too much. Threatened to turn me in, you know," he said.

"You're sick!" I screamed. My fists were clenched so hard my knuckles were pure white, and I held in the urge to tackle him to the ground and beat him senseless, but these men were armed.

"Get to work," Ned instructed as he and his men turned away. Only two stayed behind as the shovels were thrown in the mud towards us. And just for even more fun, the clouds mourned the loss of Josephine Neeley.

We were soon coated in mud and water as we dug a hole. We decided to dig a deep one to burry away our memories, and we weren't even nearly done. With every clump of mud I gathered in my shovel I instantly threw it behind me and impaled the earth with much force.

Stephen and Cadince dug with force too, with sorrow for the poor woman as well. Stephen seemed to be breathing hard, his wet bags stuck to his forehead, and his shirt peeling off his skin when he moved.

Cadince was a bit jumpy with every time I dug my shovel into the ground. I knew why she was so jumpy, but I'd never tell a soul why. Everyone would hate her if they knew the truth.

The rain suddenly beat down harder as we made barely any progress. Ned was a messed up man, and he belonged in an insane Asylum. I hated him, hated him with all my might.

Nobody could ever amount to the fear I felt before I opened that bag. I was actually expecting to see a blonde haired boy beneath that cover, and I was greedily thankful that it wasn't him. Ned would have to plead for his life if he ever tried to kill that boy, and even I wouldn't spare his sick life. If there was anybody that I was protected over the most, it was Daniel.

I wished that Ned would just come back to see if we were finished so I could plow this shovel into his skull. That man was going to get it one day, and when that day comes, he'll regret ever doing this to me.

"I can't…believe he killed her!" Cadince screamed over the rain.

"He's messed up!" Stephen yelled back.

The two sent me a glance, and I spoke what they were waiting for: "I'll kill him!"

Once the hole was deep enough for the body Stephen and I gently raised her from the ground and dropped her deep into the hole.

"Somebody must go into the hole with her," one of the men spoke, holding a little box in his hand.

"What?" I yelled.

"Ned wanted this buried with her," he said, handing it to me. "It's locked, so don't even try to peer inside. Now go!"

I turned around and stared at Cadince and Stephen. Neither of them said a word as I swiftly walked past them and looked into the dark hole. The rain never ceased, it just got heavier and heavier.

I sat down onto the ground, my legs hanging in the hole, and reluctantly dropped down. It was deeper than I thought, and felt my ankle become sore immediately. I was lucky not to land on the body, and bent down slightly.

I felt around until my hand brushed over her body and I shivered as I quickly laid the box on her stomach and then looked back up.

"Stephen!" I called. I held my hand up, and saw Stephen and Cadince both reach down and pull me safely out of the hole.

My ears were buzzing annoyingly as we began to cover up the body with mud. Every time I flung mud into the hole I felt more and more hatred. This wasn't fair to her!

Once the hole was covered, Cadince made a big X on one of the trees. I stared off into the distance and suddenly swung my shovel far away from me.

I dropped to the ground and hugged my knees to my chest and for the first time since I could ever remember tears traced down my cheeks.

I could only think: 'what if it was Daniel?' But it wasn't, and that was a good thing. But even I couldn't erase the feeling of grief from my heart from my dirty deed.

**Next Chapter: Anomie is emotionally hurt, and even the great Spot Conlon can see it dwelling in her once scornful eyes.**

**Author note: Okay, so this was a surprise chapter, so I hope you liked it!**


	9. Chapter Eight

**Author note: I am very much aware of the fact that I did not update yesterday, but I do have a life ya know. I'd love to sit here and type, type, type, but I have friends and family to talk to, so I have to give them at least some of my free time.**

I had to scrub hard at the mud clinging to my body, and scrubbed even harder to get the stench of death away from me. It felt like mere seconds ago I was sobbing beside the grave uncontrollably, leaving my friends stunned.

And now I was in the washroom scrubbing the skin off my flesh. Not purposely, of course, but I had touched a dead body – not that I would've cared if it was someone I didn't know. Even though I was much to blame for murdering many of Ned's men, it was just heinous for him to kill his own wife.

Josephine Neeley was one of the sweetest people I had ever met, and I can assure you: she hated what Ned was doing. She found it unfair and abusive, and I suppose she threatened to turn him in, so he killed her.

I wanted to scream; scream louder than anyone ever has. I wanted to throw a deadly tantrum and just give Ned away. I wanted to run through town, screaming out that Ned was a murderer. I wanted to blurt out everything that has happened these past five years, and finally get this burden off of my chest, because one lonely teenage girl can't handle the weight of reality.

But I couldn't do any of that. Not only would it get my brother killed, but I'd be just as bad as the kids who already tried. The kids who needed mental help just after a week of their arrival. The kids who tried to escape through the front door to tell someone about their terrible lives. The kids who were shot once their foot was beyond the door. It wasn't worth it.

After a long wash, and scrubbing gloomily at my skin, I slumped into my room and lay across my bed. I guess this is what it feels like to be sad. I never felt my heart ache since the day of my mother's death. I hadn't cried since – well, I knew I never cried at my mother's funeral, she wouldn't want that.

Erica looked at me oddly, although I was sure she already knew what happened, the look of confusion never left her face.

"Anomie?" she said, rising from her bed.

The sun shown into the cold room – I never got to sleep. I closed my eyes and tried to ignore Erica's voice.

"Anomie, are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine," I answered in a muffled voice.

"Good!" Erica said in a cheery voice. "Come with me into Brooklyn!"

I looked at her with my cold stare, and I knew I tricked her with my eyes. Deep within I was hurting, but I still managed to keep my coldness in my eyes – either that or Erica was too dim-witted to notice.

"Brooklyn is like a drug," I said, hiding my head in my arms. "Once you enter you can't find the need to leave."

"You sound funny," Erica retorted. "Come on, I promised Blade I'd meet him at the docks."

"Go alone," I said, barely audible. "I'm tired."

"You're like a rock, Anomie, you can't be tired," Erica snapped. She tugged on my arm forcefully and grunted.

"Rocks are lifeless," I mumbled.

"You know what I mean, Nomes, now come one!" Erica pulled once more on my arm and I finally stumbled to my feet.

"Can't you get Stephen to go with you?" I asked as we left the school and walked through Brooklyn.

"Nah, he's with Spot somewhere, probably playing poker," Erica told me.

If I weren't nearly asleep I would've laughed at that. Stephen playing poker? Oh please, the boy can't even keep his cards to himself. If you played with him, you'd know that Stephen was an easy target because he'd accidentally drop his cards or do something else stupid.

I only replied with a weird noise from my throat that sounded like: "Mmm," and then shut my mouth.

By the time we made it to the docks I had sweat trickling down my forehead, and I spotted Blade standing at the end of the docks.

"Hey, Erica," he greeted her, pecking her cheek. Erica blushed slightly and then looked away. "We can't stay here. Gotta go ovah to da lodgin house. Spot's orders," Blade told her.

Erica shrugged and Blade laced his fingers with hers and I followed the two to where I guess was the lodging house. It looked quite old, and a bit ruined.

I merely shrugged from lack of energy and followed Blade and Erica through the door. I instantly smelt cigar smoke and whiskey, and heard laughter and fussing coming from another room.

We turned the corner and I finally found out where the commotion was coming from. There was a big round table in the middle of the floor, and a group of rowdy boys grouped around it. Many were inhaling cigars and gulping down whiskey, and others were just enjoying the poker game.

I walked lazily beside Erica and her and Blade crowded around the table with the others, and I merely sent them a look of disgust. I then spotted Stephen sitting directly opposite Spot, and he seemed to be studying his cards like he was in a trance.

"Do ya fold or what, Cromwell?" I heard Spot ask impatiently. Stephen sighed and nodded, placing his cards down and shaking his head in defeat.

Spot chuckled and looked at the other boys who were also playing. "How 'bout you bums?" he asked.

One, who I didn't recognize – well, I didn't recognize any of them – chewed on his cigar and sent Spot a sly look.

"I don't evah back down from a pokah game, Spot," he said in a deep New York/Italian voice. He had dark brown hair hidden beneath his cap, and seemed to be able to hold a straight face.

Spot sent him an approving look and nodded. "O'course ya don't, Race," he said. "So let's see what ya got."

The boys occupying the seats and holding cards laid their cards down to see who had the stronger deck.

"Well Conlon, looks like I beat ya again," the boy – Race? – said, collecting his winnings.

Spot smirked and leaned back slightly in his chair.

"How 'bout anudder game?" he suggested. "You in, Jack?" he asked a boy who looked like he just came from a rodeo.

"Sure," the boy known as Jack said, taking a seat that a boy pushed towards him.

Some other boys joined, but Stephen stood up. "I'm afraid I have to sit this one out, fellas," he said. "I don't have anything else to give away."

"But then we'll be one guy short," someone whined.

"You idiot, you don't need a certain amount of people ta play!" someone snapped.

Spot looked around. "Anyone else?" he asked.

I hesitated, but found myself slipping into the seat Stephen once sat in and stared straight at Spot.

"I'll play," I said, using my great acting skills and hid my insecurity.

Spot eyed me momentarily but merely shrugged as the cards were dealt. I picked up my hand and studied the cards carefully, and then finally moved my gaze to the leader across the table.

For a moment in time he just stared at me like he was searching for something, and I saw his brows wrinkle in a mess of confusion. I kept my face calm and collective as the game started quickly.

I needed to do anything to get the image of Mrs. Neeley's corpse out of my head. The past was killing me.

Stephen appeared at my side and looked at my cards.

"Killing time for hell?" he asked in a whisper. It was a code question like: "Are you okay?" "How are things going?" "Do you need help?" or "I'm here, tell me what's wrong."

I sent him a deadly glance and then stared awkwardly down at my cards. Nobody ever asked me that, because they never needed to.

"I'm living up to heaven," I whispered, another code which meant: "I'm fine." or "I'm perfectly okay."

Stephen nodded but stayed at my side as we played into the afternoon, and I never even noticed it get dark.

The game was going on forever, and at this pace it'd never end. Spot still gave me that look. What was it? Confusion?

The game finally came down to me, Spot, some guy named Skittery, and that Race guy.

Spot glanced around and then we all finally showed our cards. I wasn't even paying attention to the whole game, and I knew there had to be something wrong when Spot and I showed the exact same hand. Race won, of course, and I knew he would.

I nodded at him and then wobbly rose from the chair and stumbled outside, leaning against the side of the building.

The night air brushed roughly against my skin, and I felt even more regret than ever. I hate Ned! That stupid, unforgiving bastard!

I crossed my arms numbly over my chest and looked up at the moon. It was a giant circle of what? What was on the moon? It was so mysterious and beautiful, that I wish I were free just like it.

My thoughts were crushed once I heard the door open and close, and felt someone stand beside me, leaning against the building.

I glanced over and groaned silently.

"Don't you have better things to do other than to bother me?" I asked Spot rudely.

The Brooklyn leader shrugged and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lazily lit it. "You dyin or somethin Parker?" he asked.

"What?" I asked confusedly.

"You look different," Spot explained. "Somethin wrong?"

What? How would he know if something was wrong, I was a master at disguising the way I felt! How had he noticed?

"Why do you care?" I asked.

"I don't," Spot shrugged. "I was jus' wonderin. I mean, yer weak acting skills might've fooled da udders, but you can't use my own technique against me."

I snorted in disgust and slid down to the ground, Spot following. I looked over at him and he met my eyes. He had that look again, as if searching for something, but too confused to tell.

"You're just too proud of yourself," I told him truthfully, looking away.

"Look back here," Spot said calmly.

I furrowed my eyebrows but looked back over at Spot. He squinted, searching my eyes once more, but a look of failure crossed his face.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"You're sad," Spot said, looking away. "I was jus' tryin ta see why."

"Good luck with that!" I growled. "Quit trying to figure me out."

"Who said I was tryin ta figure you out. Even I can see dat there is no way of ever figuring _you _out," Spot told me.

"Is it easy to see?" I asked, referring to the sadness dwelling in my eyes.

"Not really," he said. "I'm just good at dis."

I leaned my head against the building and closed my eyes. "If you were to die right now, what is one thing you'd change in your life before doing so?"

I could tell that Spot was looking at my oddly now, and opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. "Dat's personal," he finally spoke.

"You know what I would change?" I asked…

**Next Chapter: Anomie isn't thinking right while talking to Spot, and doesn't realize that she is about to reveal the secret of her life.**

**Author note: Hope you liked it!**


	10. Chapter Nine

**Author note: Whala! Another chapter to read, yay!**

Spot turned his head and looked straight at me like I was losing my mind.

"What would you change?" he asked slowly.

I sighed longingly and hugged my knees to my chest. My mind was fuzzy and I didn't even realize what I was saying. "I'd change when dad sent me away to a place that I wish I could leave," I said in a twisted kind of way. "I'd change my life so I never had to take a test-"

I instantly closed my mouth, but I don't know why. My brain wasn't in control.

"No, no, no," I said. "I take that all back. I'd change it so mom never died."

Spot blinked a few times at my insanity. I came back to reality and nearly gasped at what I almost told Spot.

"Have you evah thought of…maybe goin to an asylum?" he asked slowly.

I pressed my lips together in a straight line and felt myself swim back to the present. I was letting this get out of hand, and I nearly told Spot about my true secret. I was becoming one of them kids who start muttering to people about a deadly school, and then I'd be sent away to the crazy bin. I was lucky to come back to reality before I said anything.

"I'm not insane!" I said rudely.

I saw a slight smirk on Spot's face as he shook his head. "Yer hard ta read, Anorm, ya know dat?" he asked.

"I know, and you're a stuck up boy who thinks he's a leader," I said, getting to my feet. "When you don't know anything about leadership!"

I then turned on my heel and began to storm away. I felt Spot jerk my arm roughly and turned me around.

"I know more 'bout leadership den da next guy! Don't go around telling _me_, of all people, that I know nothin 'bout leadership! I mean, look at you, you ain't a leadah!"

I pushed Spot away from me by his chest and my eyes flared. "I know a lot more about leadership, you dog! All you do to your boys is push them around and yell at them! I'd never do that!" It was true; I was loyal to the people who called me their leader. Why torture them when they were already leading a painful life.

"I'm jus' teachin 'em respect," Spot said coldly.

"Respect?" I yelled. "How can _you _be teaching them respect when you don't even respect me?"

"I don't respect you 'cause yer so damn stuck-up and think yer better den everybody else!" he shouted.

"You know nothing about me, Conlon, so don't judge me! Just like you I'm leading a painful, hard life, so don't even start with me about being stuck-up," I told him.

Spot laughed amusedly and his eyes were cold. "You? Leading a hard and painful life? Dat's funny, Anorm, so funny. Whatever you want you get, and you don't have to work to keep yer life."

My eyes grew wide in surprise. "Oh there is so much you don't know," I said in the most deadly voice I could manage. "Don't tell me I don't know anything about pain, Conlon, because I can assure you that I'd have more scars than you do, and probably even more by the end of the week!" I said.

Spot looked at my disgustedly and snorted. "What, does daddy beat ya? Yeah, everybody's dad beats 'em."

"No! But he might as well beat me, because it's better than what I have to put up with everyday," I said in a coldhearted voice. "You don't have someone out there, waiting for you…"

Just thinking about Daniel made my heart sink.

"Look at you," Spot snarled. "Yer so pathetic it ain't even funny…actually, it is funny."

I then realized that I had broken down in a yelling fit at Spot, and lost my calm mood. I guess when someone you care about is murdered you take it out on other people.

I looked around oddly and then back at Spot. "Sorry," I muttered. "I…I'm just…She…everybody is leaving when things were starting to ware down, but when…" I closed my mouth and shook my head. The sadness in my eyes returned.

"I swear, Anorm, yer weird," Spot muttered.

I kept my head low and nodded. "Yeah, I know," I said. "I'm weird…and I'll never be normal."

I turned around and looked down at my bandaged wrist as I began to walk away. I might as well head back to the school now.

I knew that Spot was following me, but I didn't even glance back to ask him why.

I looked up for the first time and froze in my tracks. Just a few feet away, with his back turned to me, stood Ned Neeley dressed in a long black jacket, and handful of papers cramped between his fingers.

Spot ran right into me, and instantly I pulled him into an alleyway and peaked around the corner.

"What're we?-"

"Shh!" I hissed.

Spot peaked around too, to see who we were spying on.

A man walked out of the building we were leaning against and greeted Ned.

"Mr. Neeley," the man said.

"Ah, Mr. Carpenter, just the man I needed to see," Ned said.

I narrowed my eyes as Mr. Carpenter grinned and took the papers from Ned. "What did you need?" he asked politely.

Ned looked around suspiciously and then whispered, "It's about one hundred and one."

I suppressed the need to gasp as I clenched my fists together. Spot was breathing on my neck, which made me even more nervous.

"Ah," Mr. Carpenter said. "Come inside."

The two men walked into the building, and I cursed out loud. I looked around and then spotted a window just above Spot and I.

"Perfect," I said evilly. I moved a crate under the window and stepped on it. I pushed the window up and began to hoist myself in, but Spot stopped me.

"What're you doin? You can't break in," he whispered.

"I have to find out what's going on!" I snapped.

I climbed through the window and landed on the floor. Spot looked around and sighed, and then followed suit.

I stepped around the corner, but stopped once I saw Ned and Mr. Carpenter sitting in the living room at the couches, and I instantly spotted a closet. I pulled on Spot's arm and forced him into the closet and then crammed in after him.

Our bodies were literally pressed together, and Spot seemed to have a surprised look on his face.

"I find dis…uh…" he looked down at our chest pressed together, "uncomfortable."

"Oh suck it up!" I snapped.

I pushed the door opened a crack and the two of us had to move around a bit, and then we peered out at the two men having tea.

"So, what is it that you wanted to talk about?" Mr. Carpenter asked.

"Well you see, she is acting strangely," Ned said, referring to me of course.

"How strangely?" Mr. Carpenter asked.

"I can't explain, exactly, but I'm afraid that she-"

"Might find her brother," Mr. Carpenter finished for him.

Ned nodded and I felt a spark of hope in me. What if they said where Daniel was? Then I'd be able to go look for him.

"I can assure you, Mr. Neeley, that Miss Carter won't find him anytime soon," Mr. Carpenter said. Miss Carter? He's using my former last name?

I was so nervous now that I grabbed Spot's hand for support, and never even noticed.

"But, she is a clever girl, George, more clever than she shows," Ned said. "That girl has outsmarted me many times, and probably doesn't even realize it. I wouldn't be surprised if she already knows where he is and is just making it look like she doesn't know."

So Ned was afraid of me? Interesting…

"Ned, my friend, this girl is clever, I know that much, but she has no idea where Kaiden is," Mr. Carpenter said. Kaiden? Why use Daniel's real name?

"But I'm afraid. You could never know how smart this girl really is – clever as a spy, she is, and probably plotting something against us right now!" Ned sounded frightened, but I knew it was an act.

Mr. Carpenter chuckled, sipping a cup of tea. "Why worry about her true self, Ned? Hmm? This girl is no more dangerous than we are. She may be able to live through your tests, but I'll be sure she doesn't live through the next one."

This time I gasped, which caught Spot off guard and he nearly fell back when I jerked on his arm.

"Shh!" I said.

Spot sent me a look but resumed spying on the adults.

"But George, Eve knows a lot," Ned said. And there it was, like a buzzing noise echoing in my ears, my real name spoken out in the open to anybody listening.

I felt myself suppress the need to scream, to tell them to shut up, but I'd blow our cover.

"What is the next task, for Eve Carter?" Mr. Carpenter asked.

"I do not know, yet," Ned sighed. "I haven't thought of any tasks yet, for anybody. I suppose I should leave and get to that now."

Mr. Carpenter nodded and escorted Ned to the door. I numbly slipped out of the closet and dragged Spot with me. We quickly ran for the window and literally jumped out, and I closed it shut.

"What was dat 'bout?" Spot asked. "Who's Eve?"

"I don't know," I said.

Spot shrugged. "Didn't answer my udder question. What was dat?"

"I don't need to tell you!" I snapped. I then turned to him fully and stared at him coldly. "Listen, whatever you heard tonight stays with you and you only, and if you can erase it from your memory then do it. Let's just go back to hating each other, okay?"

Spot crossed his arms firmly over his chest and smirked. "I never stopped hatin you, Anorm," he said.

"Good, you keep doing that," I said. I peaked around the corner, and when I looked back at Spot he was giving me a very odd look.

"Did you just tell me to keep hatin you?" he asked.

"Yes," I shrugged. "So what?"

"Yer odd, Anorm, very odd."

"It's Anomie!" I finally yelled. "Who in the world would name their child Anorm?"

"Well, who'd name their child Anomie?" Spot asked.

"Not that it matters, but my mother named me!" I snapped. I knew I lost my cool a long time ago, and by tomorrow I'd go back to being a smartass, but tonight just wasn't a good night.

"You get really worked up 'bout da stupidest things, Anorm," Spot said.

I tuned Spot's voice out as I leaned against the brick wall and closed my eyes. My eyes were as heavy as ever, and I was on the verge of dreaming.

Spot was still rambling on as I slipped down the wall and closed my eyes. I heard his words come in and out, and then a laugh.

"Anorm, did I bore you ta sleep?" he asked.

I groaned, a sign for him to shut up, and Spot furrowed his eyebrows.

"When was da last time you slept?" he asked.

I didn't even get to answer his question, because I fell asleep.

**Next Chapter: More deadly secrets are revealed that could hurt Cadince, and some that might help Anomie in finding her brother. The secret behind Anomie's real name is revealed.**

**Author note: Ha, you didn't see that coming!**


	11. Chapter Ten

**IMPORTANT NOTE: I know I said TWO DAY BREAK but I had to lengthen it. I got into a fight at school with some prep (who hated my punk look). I hate how most girls think a fight is pushing, slapping, and pulling hair, because that's all she tried to do. I, for one, kicked her ass the Spot Conlon way! Whoohoo! Although she did get my jaw pretty good –shrug- hope you like this one!**

I awoke to find myself sleeping in my own bed at Ned's school. I rose slowly and my sheets feel from my body.

I looked around confusedly and saw Erica sound asleep on the other side of the small room. I scratched my head, trying to remember what happened, but my mind was clouded. Was I not just in an alley with Spot, or did I dream that?

I remembered sneaking into a building and spying on Ned – had that been a dream? Had I not listened to them speak the names of Eve and Kaiden Carter, two lost children from the past who do not have a purpose in life. Two children who no longer walk the earth with such names?

I shook my head and regained my senses as I slipped out of the bed and crept open the door. I snuck to the washroom and hid in one of the stalls, and finally breathed a sigh of relief once I was out of earshot.

"What happened?" I asked myself. I was sure that it wasn't a dream. I was so close to finding out, but then again I heard nothing of the truth.

"Eve," I whispered, to see if it still sounded alien. "Eve Anomie Carter. Kaiden Daniel Carter…"

I felt like I was the only person in the world to feel lost without my name. _Eve…Eve… _Even in my mind it sounded so out of place.

"Eve is dead," I said aloud. "She is dead and will never return…"

I tucked my hair behind my ears and walked out of the stall.

After hours of sleeping away, the boys and girls at Ned's school became alive and scurried through the halls. You weren't allowed to be late for the morning announcements or you'd never know if you were going to test or not.

I was nearly the last one to enter the main hall, and I felt all eyes on me. I held my head high like I didn't notice as I went to my table and took a seat beside my three best friends Stephen, Erica, and Cadince. Cadince looked quite nervous and fidgety as a man walked up to the front and read over the piece of parchment in his grubby hands.

"Today we will start off with 203 at 10:00, 423 at 3:00, 211 at 6:00, 132 at 9:00 p.m., and to end the day will be 102 at 12:00." The man then left through the back door and I looked over at Cadince.

"That's you," I said.

Cadince rubbed her sweaty palms together in an attempt to calm her nerves and gave me a wary smile.

"Can't wait," she said sarcastically and rose from the table, rejecting the lumpy breakfast soup in front of her.

I rose too, "Come with us into Brooklyn," I said.

Cadince shook her head vigorously. "Today isn't safe," she announced, clearly hiding something from us.

I rolled my eyes and walked to the other side of the table and gripped her arm. "You're coming!" I said.

Cadince made no attempt to argue with her leader as she nodded painfully and I ordered for Stephen and Erica to follow. I needed to tell them everything I heard last time. That is, if it wasn't a dream.

I explained to them carefully what I saw, and Stephen let out a small laugh.

"Do you know how worried I was when I saw Spot carrying you into the lodging house?" he asked.

"I was afraid you were dead!" Erica snapped.

"Just so happens you were asleep," Stephen explained amusedly.

I shoved on his arm and then glanced down at the ground.

"So Ned and this Mr. Carpenter guy are planning something against you?" Cadince asked.

"I suppose," I shrugged.

"Hmm, Mr. Carpenter…Carpenter…" Erica rubbed her chin in thought. "Doesn't ring a bell."

"You don't know who Mr. Carpenter is?" I asked surprised.

Erica shrugged, "No," she said.

"He's working with Ned. I've only met him about four or five times, and he isn't a pleasant man," I told them. "He's the master mind behind this school, although Ned runs it, he didn't create it. I believe that he and Ned are good friends and came up with this little surviving school while they were on something," I said.

Stephen laughed and shook his head. "And what do you suppose they were on?" he asked.

"I don't know…something strong, probably," I said.

We walked into the little restaurant and settled ourselves at our regular table.

"So…they never even mentioned where Daniel was?" Cadince asked.

"Not a word," I sighed.

"Who's Daniel?" a cold voice said from behind me.

I kept my eyes ahead of me and suppressed a sigh. "Conlon," I said unemotionally. How is it that he appears out of nowhere?

Spot was now standing at Stephen's side and sent me one of his usual looks of disgusts.

"Anorm," he said, not even trying to hide the repulsion in his voice.

I crossed my arms and stared unfazed at the window behind him. Deep down I was praying that he didn't remember last night and didn't hear anything that would give us away.

"Spot, I want you to meet Cadince Idi, a friend of ours," Stephen said. "And Cadince, this is Spot Conlon."

Spot held his hand out to her and she took it. They shook hands briefly.

"Nice ta meetcha," Spot told her. "You don't seem as hot tempered as yer friend there," he said, nodding towards me.

I sent him a glare but said nothing._ Bastard… _I thought angrily.

"Oh Anomie isn't that bad," Erica said, grinning. "She just doesn't get along with people she just meets."

Cadince laughed and leaned back in her chair. I could still see the nervous look in her eyes as she glanced over at me.

I brought my attention to the front door of the restaurant as a girl walked in, probably a year older than myself. Her brown hair was hanging loosely down her back, and her wild green eyes scanned the area.

She smiled mischievously once she saw Spot and then walked towards our table. Spot turned his head and grinned at her.

"Hey gorgeous," he greeted her.

The girl gave him a quick peck on the lips and wrapped herself in Spot's arms.

"Got a new girl, Spot?" Stephen asked.

"Sure do," Spot said. "Dis is Stacey, Stacey dis is Stephen, Erica and Cadince," he said, ignoring me completely.

I rolled my eyes and watched as Stacey smiled and then tilted her head at me.

"What about her?" he asked, nodding at me.

"Oh, dat's Anorm, don't talk to 'er, she's mean," Spot laughed.

I sent him a disgusted look and watched as he and Stacey sat down at our table. If I could only hit him again, then my day would be better.

Spot pulled Stacey's chair close to his and kept his arm draped over her shoulder. The waiter slowly approached and I instantly ordered a coffee. I needed to speak with Cadince, but with the jackass and his whore here I can't tell her anything.

Stacey wasn't even able to keep her hands to herself as she hung all over Spot. Spot didn't seem affected, but I saw something gleam in his eyes. I wasn't sure what I saw, but it looked to me like disgust. I shrugged it off and closed my eyes.

"Oh Spot, you're so funny!" Stacey giggled loudly.

I opened my eyes and stared at her blankly. She continued laughing, and her laugh drove me to a point far beyond anger. "Has anybody ever told you that you sound like a hyena?" I asked rudely.

Stacey moved her eyes away from Spot and stared at me. "Excuse me?" she said.

"I said: you sound like a hyena, and not to mention you have very bad hearing," I said.

"Who do you think you are?" Stacey asked in a high-pitched voice.

"Anomie," I told her. "Anomie Parker. I know who I am, so how about you? Got any idea who you are?"

Stacey pursed her lips angrily and flipped her hair behind her shoulders. "Like I'd tell you. You might be one of them people who stalk other people and then kill them in their sleep!" she shrieked.

I raised my eyebrows in amusement. "Wow, you sure can read a person, can't you Stacey?" I said. "You figured me out with just one look. I want to be just like you," I said, my voice loaded with sarcasm.

"Well who wouldn't? I am beautiful, funny, and the best," Stacey explained.

"Is that so?" I inquired.

Stacey nodded and crossed her leg over the other and tried to look important. "You know, just so you know, girls aren't supposed to look so rough and dirty," she said.

"And I'd totally agree with you," I said, propping my elbows up onto the table. "If I were some whore from the bar."

Stacey gasped and narrowed her eyes. "You did not just call me a whore!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, my dear friend, I assure you: I did," I told her.

Stacey rose from the chair and stomped her foot on the ground. "How dare you! I can sue you for that!"

"Wanna bet?" I asked calmly.

Stacey glared down at a laughing Stephen and then in one swift movement leaned over the table and tried to strike my face.

I caught her wrist gradually and held onto it with a firm grip. "Oh honey," I said sarcastically, "please don't tell me you're trying to fight me. I've dealt with worse beasts than you, so what makes you think you can hurt me?" I asked.

Stacey held a look of pain on her face and I let her wrist go. She grasped it in her other hand and stared at me, astonished. "Girls can't fight," she said like it was a crime.

"I assure you, Stacey, they can," I said coolly. "Well, the strong ones can anyways. It's the ones in tight dresses who run to _men _for protection!"

Spot narrowed his eyes angrily and snorted. "Quit bein stupid, Anorm," he snapped. "Jus' because you have no feelins doesn't mean you can go hurting someone else's."

"Me hurting her feelings? Never!" I said sarcastically.

"I want to go, Adam," Stacey hissed.

I furrowed my eyebrows and suppressed a laugh. "Adam?" I inquired.

I was sure I saw a tint of red form in Spot's cheeks, but it soon vanished. He just sent me an angry look and escorted Stacey out of the restaurants.

And for some strange reason, the names Adam and Eve sang in my head. What an odd thing…

**Author note: Okay, so technically I didn't do what I said I was going to do for this chapter, so maybe in the next. No "Next Chapter" for this one, my bruised jaw is aching. Bye!**


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Author note: I am only typing this because I love you guys!**

After a long morning of just sitting and doing nothing at Joy's Diner we got up and left. Cadince seemed to be shaky, but she hid it well – from Stephen and Erica that is.

She sent me a sideways glance and quickly whispered, "Don't let them find out."

I furrowed my eyebrows confusedly. Who were "them"? I knew it wasn't Stephen and Erica, and what were these people not supposed to find out?

Cadince gulped and took in a sharp breath as we walked back into the school silent as a mouse. If I tried hard enough I could probably hear the rapid beat of Cadince's heart. She has never acted this way. She'd never show her nervousness, it just wasn't her place.

I brushed my hair behind my ears as the four of us strolled through the halls. Looking around I noticed that many people stayed in the building today, other than leaving, and this made Cadince even more jumpy.

"Wonder why everyone stayed," Stephen said boredly.

Erica shrugged numbly, "It's probably too hot for them," she said.

"Or maybe they'll blow up once their skin is publicized to the daylight," I laughed.

Stephen rolled his eyes. "Seriously Anomie, what goes on in that wondrous head of yours?" he asked.

"Oh, this and that," I answered mysteriously. Erica giggled and stopped in her tracks, causing Stephen to run into her small form.

"What is it?" I asked, looking up. Smack dab in the middle of the hall was the man in whom I've grown to hate so deeply and severely, standing like a statue.

Ned never walked through the halls when we were crowded around, and barely anybody in this damned school actually _met _him face-to-face. They'd heard of him from the other students, and everything they said about him made him sound worse than he already is.

He was strictly known for his intelligence and insolence. Everyone knew that he came up with the tests, and knew that with the snap of a finger he could kill you in an instant. Some people even talked about how he must have sold his soul to the devil and became an evil demon controlling the school and killing children for his own amusement.

But I knew Ned – probably better than anyone in this world. I knew his flaws and weaknesses, and I knew most of his unforgiving secrets. He may have had a bad name around here, but really he was weak. He was a fake. And I knew this.

I stared blankly at him briefly and then glanced around at the astonished faces.

"It's him," someone whispered.

"He looks like a demon," another person dared to say.

"I can't believe he's actually in the halls!" somebody hissed.

Ned wore a dark suit with a bright red tie, and stood up as straight as a pole. He wore a blank and mysterious look that said "I'm a jackass" written all over him.

Two men stood behind him, staring straight ahead like they were hypnotized.

I decided to speak up. "Finally decide to come out of hiding, did you Ned?" I asked with a small smirk playing at my lips.

Ned's sharp eyes connected with mine, and I felt my insides boil dangerously.

"Anomie!" Erica hissed.

I ignored her completely and firmly crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my eyes. "What do you want?" I asked.

Ned stood there for a few seconds, letting the petrified kids take in his fearless form, and then opened his mouth. "I am not here to argue with you, Miss Parker," he said in his most dangerous tone. "I would like to speak with one of your girls."

I already knew - by the gleam in his eye - who he was here to get. I tilted my head upward and stared at him through squinted eyes.

"And what is your purpose for borrowing her?" I asked as a leader would. I was a bit shocked to see that Ned was sort of asking permission to speak with one of my people. But I stood up like a good leader would, ready to defend her.

"We have some issues to resolve, Miss Parker, and then you can have her back," Ned answered me.

"What are your issues with Cadince?" I asked, testing him.

Some of the others gasped, amazed at how I knew who he came for, and others merely nodded, wanting to know the answer as well.

"I believe that business only needs to be shared between Miss Idi and me," the demon said slowly.

"What makes you think I won't find out?"

"Oh, you'll find out," Ned answered evilly. "You'll all find out."

And, forcefully, one of his men jerked Cadince by her arm, and I instantly shoved him away.

"You take her gently or you don't take her at all!" I exclaimed.

Ned nodded, and the man stepped aside as Cadince brushed by him and followed him down the narrow hallway.

Ned sent the other's a look in which made their skin crawl, but it merely made my veins run cold. He then left like he never showed up, and I watched his retreating figure.

I turned around swiftly and ever so calmly I walked down the hallway. I brusquely soared into mine and Erica's room – my two friends behind me – and plopped down on my bed.

"I don't like where this is going," I said suddenly. "I don't like it at all."

Erica sat down beside me and sighed. "You're bold, Nomie, really bold," she told me.

I looked at her out of the corner of my eye and then looked over at Stephen. "Whatever happens tonight," I said in almost a slurred whisper, "we will not betray Cadince."

Erica raised her eyebrows confusedly and tilted her head. "What're you talking about?" she asked.

"Why would we betray our friend?" Stephen asked.

I closed my eyes and shook my head. "Just do as I say," I said coolly. "Alright?"

The two nodded slowly with no questions or arguments as we impatiently waited. I paced back and forth nonstop until finally the door creaked open.

"Everyone is needed in the main hall," a deep, gruffly voice boomed.

I walked out into the hall and my two companions followed. As we made it to the main hall I heard whispers echoing off the walls. They were all about me and my bravery. Some pointed and nodded at me proudly, and others clapped, like they were proud I was their leader.

We seated at our normal table and waited for what seemed like forever. And finally, after everything went dead silent, the door to the main hall creaked open, and a terrified looking Cadince stumbled in.

I closed my eyes briefly and then watched her walk to the front of the room. A man appeared at her side, an annoying grin on his face.

"Number 102 will be doing her test early tonight," he announced. He then moved and all eyes were on Cadince.

She bit her lip frantically and gulped. She opened her mouth and muffled words escaped incoherently.

"What?" someone said.

"What did she say?" another asked.

Cadince looked up angrily and gritted her teeth. "I am Ned Neeley's niece!" she yelled.

Everything went dead silent, and I could, once again, hear the pounding of Cadince's heart. The world stopped, and then everything went chaotic.

"She's related to him!" A girl shrieked, jumping out of her chair and pointing a bony finger at Cadince.

Everybody then lost their minds and jumped out of their chairs and ran at Cadince, and she was swallowed in a crowd of animal-like zombies.

In one swift moment I jumped to my feet, my chair falling over behind me, and climbed up onto the table. The boys and girls of the insane school were beating Cadince senseless, like if they killed her then they'd go free.

I jumped from the table and ran for the front of the main hall. Stephen and Erica followed behind, but I was stopped by one of the men.

"This is part of the test!" he growled. "Let them destroy her!"

Smoke blew out from my ears and I punched the man so hard that my knuckles ached terribly. I simply ran over him and pushed through the crowd, hitting a few in the process.

I lost Stephen and Erica, but that didn't matter to me now. Everybody was screaming and punching, and I was pretty sure I was lost, until I almost fell over Cadince's body.

She was fighting back, but her against this many people – she'd never win. I growled in anger and pulled the people off of her, and once everybody saw me in the middle of the crowd, they stopped fighting.

I pulled Cadince to her feet and then turned my fiery eyes to the students.

"Anybody else touches her and I'll skin you alive with my bare hands!" I yelled so loud that it boomed off the walls.

I saw fear rise into everyone's faces as they stared at me. "I advise the lot of you who dared to hurt my _friend_ tokeep their distance from me, because all of you aren't getting away with this easily! Don't blame Cadince for who she is, blame her goddamned uncle! Anybody who sends her a warning glance won't live to see the next day!"

And with that said I forcefully shoved people out of the way and watched as Stephen and Erica ran up to Cadince and helped her walk. I then stopped, and turned to a boy.

"Make sure everyone is in their rooms before nine," I instructed one of my friends – Justin. He nodded, and nobody even dared to groan in protest.

Stephen, Erica and I helped Cadince to her room, and once we got her in I asked my other two friends to leave. They obeyed my wishes, not wanting to anger me anymore, and left silently.

I helped Cadince clean up the sticky blood glued to her body.

"They'll do worse," he said hoarsely, "if they found out."

"About what?" I asked as if I didn't know.

"Anomie, you're dead," Cadince said, gripping my wrist. "You've been dead for six years."

I jerked my arm away and shook my head. "No," I told her. "Eve Carter is dead, not Anomie Parker."

"He wants to expose you," Cadince whispered.

I sent her a surprised look and blinked.

Eve Carter was supposedly dead, and her brother killed as well. She was arrested for murdering one of the most powerful men in the world, and executed six years ago. After escaping prison, along with her brother, they changed their names, as did their father who wanted money, and moved to New York for a "better" life.

The world was against Eve, and many knew that she wasn't even dead, but was a deadly person. Eve Carter was the most deadly person in the world, the worst part about it is that I, Anomie Parker, am Eve Carter.

**Next Chapter: Anomie has to worry about Ned exposing her, and has to worry even more about what in the hell Spot Conlon is doing.**

**Author note: I don't think this made much sense, but I tried.**


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Author note: Terribly sorry for the confusion in the last chapter!**

The next morning I found myself creeping through the empty corridors, the sun not even awake yet. I hid in the shadows and listened to his footsteps echoing noisily down the hall.

I kept up with Ned's pace soundlessly, and kept my breathing low and steady. He escaped through the front door, and I followed suit.

"Mr. Diggins," Ned greeted a man standing beside a big black carriage. The man – Mr. Diggins – shook Ned's hand in admiration and said a quick hello.

The two men stepped into the carriage and slammed the door shut. I quickly attached myself to the back, well hidden, and kept a firm grip as the horse lazily strode towards town.

My hair hung loosely in my face as I glanced behind me with an unnoticeable glint in my eye.

I don't know how I knew Ned would be leaving at this hour, but I thanked God that I did. He was up to something, and I had to make sure it wasn't about exposing me – Eve Carter.

The carriage flew over bumps and small hills, causing me to nearly slip, but I tightened my grip. We traveled through the dead streets of Brooklyn, we being the only living things in sight. Streaks of light barely rose over the buildings, and I knew it was near sunup.

I took my attention off of clinging to the carriage, and once I did the carriage flew over another bump and I went rolling in the dirt. I raised my head and watched the carriage ride out of eyesight, and instantly jumped to my feet and ran after it.

I stopped running and groaned loudly once I realized I had lost the carriage, but I kept looking for it anyways. Leave it to my stupidity to lose the only carriage riding through Brooklyn.

I wiped off the dirt clinging to my clothes and grunted angrily.

"Stupid Ned!" I hissed. I continued walking, listening and looking for any sings of a horse, but I found nothing.

Suddenly, I twirled around cautiously and peered at my surroundings. I narrowed my eyes, but turned back around and kept on walking. I glanced around from time to time, but I felt an excitement rise in me once I spotted a familiar carriage.

I crept near it and kept low as I watched Ned and Mr. Diggins climb out, big, ugly grins on their faces.

I narrowed my eyes and turned around so suddenly Spot jumped back in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped.

Spot furrowed his eyebrows and grunted. "Shut up, Anorm," he whispered.

"Were you following me?" I asked angrily.

"No!" Spot exclaimed.

"Yes you were! Don't lie to me," I told him.

Spot shrugged, "Dis is my territory, and I can follow who I want."

I rolled my eyes and turned back around to find Ned looking this way. I immediately pushed Spot into a nearby alleyway, nearly knocking the both of us to the ground.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"Shut up, idiot!" I snapped. I peaked around the corner, relieved to see Ned looking the other way.

"What are you doin out here exactly?" Spot asked me.

"None of your business," I said sharply.

"Actually, it is my business," he said. "Dis is my-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, territory, blah, blah, blah," I said quickly with a wave of my hand. "Now keep quiet."

Spot sent me a glare and also looked around the corner.

"Who's he?" he asked, referring to Ned.

"Just a person I know," I whispered.

"Oh yeah? So why ya hidin from 'im?"

"Don't you have newsboys to order around?" I asked aggregated.

"Too eoily," Spot shrugged.

"Whatever," I sighed.

Ned pulled a cigar out from his jacket pocket and gradually lit it, offering Mr. Diggins one. The two men sat about the stoop, smoking and chatting about absolutely nothing.

I then turned to Spot confusedly. "I know why I'm hiding, so why are you?" I asked.

Spot tilted his head, "Dunno," he said.

"Well then get lost!" I demanded.

"Hey, dis is my-"

"Yes, I know, your territory, who cares?"

Spot narrowed his eyes. "Why _are_ you hidin anyways?" he asked.

"Go jump off the bridge!"

"Love to, but you gotta come too," Spot said with a chuckle.

I ignored his comment and turned back to the men.

"Ah, yes, she did pass," Ned said, something that sounded like disgust in his voice. "That wretched leader of theirs saved her."

Finally, something that had to do with the school.

"The illegal one I presume?" Mr. Diggins asked, huffing on his cigar.

"Indeed," Ned nodded. "She's a sneaky one that girl, and very smart."

"I could only imagine," Mr. Diggins said. "Her father is a mastermind as well."

"Mr. Carter? A mastermind? Oh please!" Ned laughed. "Her father wouldn't know left from right."

"I suppose you are right, but what is it about this girl that frightens you Mr. Neeley?" Mr. Diggins asked, a serious look upon his old face.

Ned sat there in silence for a moment and then glanced over at the other man. "What makes you think that I am afraid of this child?" he asked warningly.

Mr. Diggins gulped loudly and wiped away droplets of sweat dripping down his forehead. "I was just…saying," he said.

Ned laughed, which made a cold chill swim up and down my spine.

"What are they talkin 'bout?" Spot suddenly asked.

I groaned loudly and turned around. "If you don't shut up I'm going to sew your mouth shut! Keep quiet!" I hissed angrily.

"Hey, who are you to tell me, king of Brooklyn, to shut up?" Spot yelled.

I instantly clasped my hand over his large mouth, and cautiously peaked around the corner. Ned jumped from his sitting spot, looking around.

"Did you hear that?" he asked.

I didn't even want to hear what Mr. Diggins had to say. In one swift movement I pushed Spot behind a pile of crates and followed suit. I held my breath as I listened to the two men creep into the alley.

"There isn't anything down here, Ned," Mr. Diggins said. "Maybe you were just hearing things."

"No, I'm sure I heard something. I know it couldn't possibly be one of my students out of school when they're supposed to be getting ready for the morning announcements," Ned said, directing his words towards me. I should've known he knew I was here!

"Come, come Ned, we must talk," Mr. Diggins said, directing Ned out of the alleyway.

I sighed in relief and stood to my feet, Spot doing the same. "Is he your headmaster?" he asked.

"Ned is a sick, murdering – I mean, yeah, he's our headmaster," I said.

Spot looked at me confusedly, but asked no further questions. He merely shrugged and strode out of the alley.

"Where are you going?" I hissed.

"Hey, I ain't gotta hide from anybody, so I'm outta heah," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

I watched him leave, and then waited awhile before leaving myself. By the time I got back to school, the announcements were over, and I had no idea who had tests. Luckily I found Stephen and Erica in the halls.

"Where were you?" Erica asked.

"Out," I said. "Who's testing?"

"Erica," Stephen said. "Hers is going to be the last one."

"What? Why is he doing this to us?" I nearly screamed.

Somebody walking by and gave me an odd look. "What are you looking at? Keep walking, there isn't anything to see here!" I snapped. The person quickened their pace and nearly ran out of sight.

"Anomie, calm down," Erica whispered. "It's going to be alright. We'll find out before tonight, we always do."

And that was what worried me the most. Ned had something planned, and if I knew him then he wanted Erica to suffer. Whatever it was it would be painful. For some reason he wanted Erica dead…

**Next Chapter: A deadly, painful test leaves two friends risking everything to save their other friend.**

**Author note: The next chapter is going to be a religious chapter – kind of.**


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Author note: I know it is hard to understand what's going on, but believe me – it's really hard to sit here and write a story like this. It's very difficult to type out in actual words what something means, and try to make sense of it. So, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

I explained to Stephen Erica, and Cadince about what happened this morning, not leaving anything out.

"So you learned nothing?" Erica asked.

"Not a thing," I sighed.

"Well, you said that he knew you were there…what do you think he'll do?" Cadince asked, worried.

"Who knows?" I shrugged. "He's a sick maniac."

"Yeah, but I can't help but worry about what he has planned for Erica," Stephen choked out.

Erica gave a crooked smile, "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," she assured us.

"For some reason I just can't help not believing that," I said.

"You don't believe that I can make it?" Erica asked with a frown.

"No," I answered honestly. "Well, not with what he's going to do that is."

"Have more faith," Stephen told me.

"No, Anomie's right," Cadince said. "Uncle Ned wants everyone dead. He wants to narrow down the students for some reason. He mostly wants Anomie to fail."

"I won't fail. Not while Daniel needs me," I said.

"But what is Ned planning?" Erica asked.

"He's planning on ridding of me," I told her. "But he wants me to be one of the students he has to narrow down. Then he can put me through real pain."

"By exposing you," Cadince said.

"Exactly, but why doesn't he do it now?" Stephen asked.

"That's what we don't know," Erica whispered.

I massaged my temples as everyone stared at me. We were having a small meeting in Cadince's room since she was still hurt.

"He's planning something," I said. "We've already concluded that much, but the real question is: what is it?"

"Maybe he needs you for something," Erica suggested.

"Maybe," I said. "But what would he need me for?"

"Well, maybe your father won't let him," Cadince said. "Not yet anyways. As long as you're still alive and enrolled here then your father makes millions."

"My father is afraid of Ned," I laughed. "He wouldn't be brave enough to make Ned do anything."

"True," Stephen said. "I think everyone is afraid of Ned."

"Except for me," I said darkly. "That man doesn't scare me, no matter what he does."

"He doesn't scare me either," Cadince said. "Not really anyways."

"Hey, he scares me to death!" Erica exclaimed.

Stephen chuckled and shook his head. "Erica, everything scares you."

"Not true," she said. "I'm not afraid of…um, well, a lot of things."

I closed my eyes and tuned everyone out. Ned was sneaky, and very intelligent at that, but there was always some kind of flaw in his plans. There's a flaw in everyone's plans. He wants to expose me, I know that, but why isn't he doing it?

I sighed in frustration and opened my eyes. "This is one puzzle that beats me by a long shot," I growled.

The four of us gave up on figuring out what Ned was up to and left the stuffy room. We walked around the hallways, just causing a lot of ruckus to get on everyone's nerve.

Ned called this a school, but we didn't learn anything other than how to survive. No classes or anything. Just wondering around, teaching ourselves. Not much of a school if you ask me.

There were people crowded around the hallways, moving out of the way when they saw their leader passing through.

Just as we passed a girl, I saw her give Cadince a dirty look from the corner of my eye, and heard her whisper: "That's her. That's his niece."

I had her pinned against the wall in a heartbeat, clutching her shoulders angrily.

"What was that?" I growled.

The girl – Emily Hendricks – gulped and shook her head. "N-nothing Anomie," she stuttered. "I'm sorry."

I let her go, staring at her fiercely. "Let this be a warning for all of you. The next time I see one of those looks then I'll break your nose," I hissed.

Everybody nodded and I walked past them calmly, like I never exploded with anger.

The day went by rapidly, and I felt my heart leap into my throat when a man came looking for Erica.

"Number 124?" the man said.

Erica gulped and stepped up. "That'd be me," she said hoarsely. The man nodded and took her away.

"She isn't safe," I said suddenly.

"Nobody is ever safe during these tests, Nomie," Stephen said.

"No, I mean, she isn't safe. If I don't find out what's going on…then she'll die. I can just feel it."

"Anomie, you have to trust her," Cadince said.

"I do trust her, I just don't trust Ned!" I snapped.

Stephen nodded in agreement, and my two friends followed me to Ned's office. Just the inside of his office made the rest of the school look trashed, but I pushed that thought away.

"What are you planning?" I asked as I barged through the doors.

"Well if it isn't our little troublemaker," Ned said, entwining his fingers together.

"Screw the small talk, Neeley, what are you planning on doing with Erica?" I boomed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ned answered stupidly, as if he meant to.

I held in my boiling anger and said, "Oh quit pretending, Ned. You either tell me or I kill you right here, right now."

Ned knew I'd do it, and his face told me he did. He calmly sat down in the chair behind his big brown desk and leaned back.

"Anomie, your friend is about to experience what our own creator did at one point," he spoke up.

"What're you talking about?" I asked impatiently.

"Miss Cassidy is a very religious person, no?"

"Yeah, she is, but what does this have to do with the test?" I asked.

"Think, Anomie," Ned said coolly. "Think real hard."

I stared at Ned for a few moments. "Wait, you're torturing her because she's religious?" I screamed.

"Oh no, Miss. Parker, we aren't torturing her," Ned said. "We are helping her."

I read Ned's gaze, and nearly went ballistic inside. "Tell me what's going on!" I demanded.

"Your friend is located in the dungeons, but not even you can save her. Nobody was able to save Christ…"

My eyes suddenly grew as wide as apples, and my heartbeat quickened. "Oh my God," I whispered.

I twirled around instantly and ran out of the office. Stephen and Cadince were waiting for me on the outside, and once they saw me speed by them, they ran after me.

I didn't even have to say anything for them to know that Erica was in danger, we just ran.

Everything I had felt earlier was washed away with worry as we raced down endless stairs to get to the dungeons. The only things I heard were my rapid breathing, my rapidly beating heart, and the pit-pat of my shoes on the ground.

Once we reached the dungeons I ran through, and looked around like a mad woman. The last door was closed, and I could see shadows of feet from the bottom crack.

Cadince and Stephen made a move to run for it, but I held out my arm and stared at the door, waiting. I licked at my lips, and clenched my fists in anger when I heard it.

From the other side of the door came the pleading screams of Erica, crying uncontrollably. Her screams echoed off the walls, and made my blood run cold.

I suddenly lost it. All my common sense just vanished and I ran to the door, pulling at the knob. Locked- it was locked! I then began banging on the door hard.

"Let her go!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "Let her go!"

Stephen and Cadince were soon at my sides, also banging on the door to stop Erica from feeling anymore pain.

"Erica!" Stephen screamed. "Hold on Erica!"

I rammed my body into the door over and over again, but it didn't budge.

"Help me!" Erica screamed loudly. "Oh my God please help me!"

It was hard to understand what she was screaming through her crying and the thickness of the door, but I heard her. She screamed loudly in pain, and I banged harder on the door.

"Damn it!" I shouted. "Goddamn it all to hell!" I kicked the door, and punched it as if it'd help, but it only added to my anger.

"You can't get through," a familiar, sick voice said from behind us.

I turned around. "You sick fuck!" I screamed. I ran at him at top speed, but Stephen and Cadince grabbed my arms.

"Stop it Anomie!" Cadince yelled over Erica's screams of pain. "He can only make it worse."

"I don't give a fuck, damn it! I'm going to kill you! Let her go!" I yelled, trying to get out of my friend's grasp. My mind was too cloudy to ever realize that I was much stronger than my friends.

"Calm down, Miss Parker," Ned said. I barely heard him as Erica's screams increased.

"I'm going to kill you! I'm going to kill you just like I killed him!" I said through clenched teeth.

This time I didn't miss the small streak of fear in his eyes, but he soon hid it.

"But then you'll go to jail," Ned said with a chuckle, "and I don't think you want that."

"The only damn thing I want is you dead! Do you hear me, Ned? I want you dead!" I shouted.

"I know you do," Ned said casually. "So let's make a trade."

I stopped struggling against my friends and listened.

"I'll let your friend go if you do me a favor," he said.

"What favor?" I asked.

"Time is wasting, Anomie," Ned said. "Yes or no?"

"Yes!" I shouted with no hesitation. "I'll do anything, just let her go!"

"Very well," Ned said.

He walked by us gradually and unlocked the door, only opening it a crack. He said something, and I heard people grunting in anger.

I listened carefully as a body fell to the ground, and Erica crying loudly.

Suddenly, she burst through the door and I caught her before she fell.

"My hands!" she cried in agony. "They nailed my hands!"

I looked down at the palms of her hands where two big bloody holes stood out, nothing but blood covering almost all of her arms.

"Oh my – Erica," I whispered as I hugged her tightly. She held her hands out away from her as she cried on my shoulder.

Ned went too far this time, and now I just vowed to do him a favor, and I don't even know what it is. For all I know…it could be exposing myself in front of all of Brooklyn…

**Next Chapter: Anomie must do Ned a favor, one that could wreck her life for good.**

**Author note: So, I hope you understood this chapter. I'm not giving off info yet, so just keep waiting. I know you're dying to see who it is that Eve killed years ago, and I'll tell you…soon. But for now, just wait.**


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Author note: Hey everyone thanks for the reviews. Keep 'em coming!**

I couldn't find my breath the next morning when I walked into Ned's office once more. The evil scoundrel sent for me after announcements – in which Stephen had a test this afternoon.

Ned sat comfortably behind his big important desk, giving me this testy smile in which I would love to punch off at this very moment. Without saying a word he motioned for me to sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk, and reluctantly I obeyed.

"Anomie," he said, my name echoing off the walls. "Anomie," he said again, as if the name were too fake to understand.

"Ned," I mocked him.

"So good of you to visit, Anomie," the demon sang.

"Now why would I visit you? Only against my will I'd say," I told him coldly.

"I'll pretend you didn't say that," Ned said calmly. "I have sent for you for a reason, Miss Parker-"

"Then why don't we get on with this? I have things to do," I interrupted him.

"Very well," Ned said. "It has come to my attention that your troublemaking has gotten out of hand, Anomie. Do you not think that I know about you sneaking out that morning?"

So he did know. Clever man; very clever. "I was sure that you knew, yes," I said, not even trying to lie to save my ass. What's the use?

"And you do know that I am aware of the fact about your little break in at Mr. Carpenter's?"

I stared at him blankly. "No, I did not," I told him truthfully.

"Ah, Miss Parker, you forget that you are watched," Ned told me. "And when you do something bad, it is reported to me."

"I could only imagine," I said gradually.

"And each time that you have spied on me, you were with someone," Ned said coldly.

I sat up straight in the chair and lifted my head. "Where are you going with this?" I asked.

"Oh, nowhere," he said. "I just want to clear some things up."

"Then stop stalling and clear them up," I said.

"Why are you around this boy so much, Miss Parker?"

I rolled my eyes and sat back in my chair lazily. "He's a newsboy; I have no relation with him."

"Oh I know," Ned said. "I have to make sure of some things."

"He's Stephen's friend, okay?" I said. "Him and I don't get along, and if it were up to me he'd be dead by now."

Ned lifted his head slightly, an evil glint in his eye. "So I've heard," he said.

"Why are we talking about Spot?" I asked aggravated.

"You mean Adam," Ned said. "Adam Conlon. I did some research."

"Good for you," I said dully.

"I find his name very interesting. Adam and Eve," he said with a laugh. "Cute."

Did he just say cute? "His name is Spot," I said crossly.

"No, Anomie, Spot is only his nickname," Ned corrected me. "His name is Adam."

"And I care, why?"

"I don't think you do," Ned laughed. "But anyways, I just wanted to speak with you about him. But anyways, we can get off that subject, and get to the reason why you are here."

"To do your bidding, right?" I asked angrily.

"Of course," he said. "You remember our little deal, I presume-"

"Yeah, what is it I have to do?" I interrupted him.

A small, amused smile played at Ned's lips as he sat calmly, staring at me. "I can't tell you yet," he said.

"Then why in the hell am I here?" I snapped.

"I just need your word, Anomie. Are you still willing to do this? I mean, if you say no right now, and save yourself then your friend is going back to the dungeons. But if you say yes, then you are completely devoted to this, and can't take it back. So what is it?"

"I already told you, jackass, yes," I hissed.

"Is there a promise in there?" Ned asked.

"Yeah, whatever, I promise, now what is it?"

"Not just yet," he said. "I don't want this done yet. It may be awhile, so you may return back to your life, for now."

I stared at him confusedly. "Why can't I do it now and get it over with?"

"Because, Anomie, this is going to be one _test _that you won't like, and I have to let you get more…how can I say this, attached," Ned told me.

"Attached to what?" I asked.

"To life," he said in a deadly voice.

I sighed in frustration and rose from the chair, turning to leave. Once I got to the door, Ned spoke, "Oh and Eve…remind your little friend that we are watching her as well. She's getting too attached to that boy."

I stared at him with fiery eyes, but turned and walked through the door.

"Dumbass," I said under my breath.

I walked down flights of stairs until I came upon the front door of the school. Stephen and Cadince were waiting for me there.

"Where's Erica?" I asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"She's not feeling up to, uh, going out today," Cadince told me. "She said she was still in pain."

I pressed my lips into a thin line and nodded. "It's probably best if she doesn't go out anyways," I said, walking with my friends out into Brooklyn. "People might wonder about the bandages on her hands."

"What did he want?" Cadince asked, sending me a glance.

"Just to talk about absolutely nothing," I muttered.

"Did he say what the favor was?" Stephen asked.

"Nope; said he wanted to wait, and that I wouldn't like it."

"Well then apparently it's something bad," Cadince groaned. "I hate him."

"Well you should," I said. "He killed your aunt."

"Don't remind me," Cadince said sadly.

"Hey look, there's Spot," Stephen announced, pointing at Brooklyn's leader and his whore.

"Oh yay, Spot, can't wait to talk to him," I said sarcastically.

Stephen rolled his eyes and jogged up to Spot.

"Heya Cromwell," Spot greeted, shaking Stephen's hand.

"Hey Spot," Stephen said.

I then noticed someone else accompanying Spot. A certain Manhattan newsie leaned against the wall of a building, a cowboy hat firmly on his head, his arms crossed over his chest, and a serious look clouding his facial features.

"Hey Cowboy," Stephen said to Jack. "You remember Anomie, and this is Cadince."

Cadince grinned and shook Jack's hand. I glanced over at her, and had to do a double take to see the dreamy look she gave Jack. I quickly elbowed her side, which caused her to send me a glare. I shrugged at her, and then turned my attention on Spot.

"Conlon," I said coolly.

"Anorm," Spot said.

He tightened his hold on Stacey, who seemed to really like that. She grinned up at him, and softly kissed his cheek. I pretended to gag, which caused Cadince and Jack to burst out laughing.

"You two really should think about doing that in private," I told Spot. "It's nothing the public eye wants to see."

Spot lifted his head in amusement and smirked. "Whatever I do with my goil, Anorm, is none of yer business."

"Well then let's keep it that way," I said numbly.

Stephen sighed and patted my shoulder. "Why don't you go…visit your dad or something," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I said so," Stephen said.

"Tomorrows Friday, I can see him then," I fought back.

"Okay, apparently you can't sense dat yer friend wants you gone," Spot said darkly.

"Oh I know he wants me gone," I shrugged, "but I'm not leaving."

"Nobody wants you here!" Stacey snapped.

I narrowed my eyes, and smiled dangerously. "Stacey, I don't believe you've met Spot's wife yet," I said.

"What?" Stacey asked confusedly.

"Oh, so Spot didn't tell you about Madeline?" I asked.

"Shut up Anorm! Quit lyin," Spot told me.

"Whoa, Spot, when did you get married?" Jack asked with a laugh.

"Shut up, Jack," Spot told his friend.

I smiled slightly, but something then caught my eye. I looked to my left and saw a man dressed in all black, watching me like his life depended on it. _One of Ned's spies_, I thought.

Stephen looked that way too, and I saw anger wash over his face. He clutched his fists, but turned back to Spot.

"Sorry, Spot, but I need to speak with Anomie real quick," he said.

He quickly dragged me away from the group, and gently clutched my shoulders.

"What is it?" I asked confusedly.

"Listen, I know what my test is this afternoon," he told me slowly.

"Okay, what is it?" I asked.

"Remember that test that you did with the room and all the bodies?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"That one," he said. "I have to do that one."

I stared at him, wide-eyed. "Why would Ned put you through that test? He's only put me and Cadince through it," I said.

Stephen sighed and licked at his lips. "I overheard some of his men talking about it. I can't do it, Nomes, I just can't."

This test was probably the worst one of all. You were locked in a room with five dead bodies, with only one lantern. In one of the bodies there was a key to the door. But you only had a certain amount of time to search for the key, and if you didn't find it before time is up, then you'd be killed. You see, there was only one body that wasn't dead, and you'd never know which one was really alive. And if you don't find the key in time, then he'd kill you.

"Maybe I can talk Ned out of it," I told him. "Maybe I can get him to switch me and you."

Stephen shook his head. "I can't let you do that test again; you barely made it the last time you did it."

"So? I know what to now! Just let me talk to him," I said.

Sometimes I believed that I was putting myself through this was because I wanted to die. I wanted to die in one of these test, but I never did. But other times I believed that I was doing it for my friends. This time, I didn't know what it was for…

**Next Chapter: Anomie talks Ned into letting her take Stephen's place for the test. She barely made it last time; will she make it this time?**

**Author note: So, I hope you liked this chapter. There wasn't much in it, but I needed to put this here. Anyways, later!**


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Author note: WARNING: This chapter will gross you out! You don't have to read the test part, but you'll be missing out on the story!**

Stephen, Cadince and I left Spot and the others early so I could have another little chat with Ned. I was actually getting tired of seeing him so much, but this time I wanted to. Stephen couldn't stand dead bodies, even though we buried one.

I shivered at the memory of burying Ned's wife. Seriously, who would marry a sick man like him?

I glanced over at Stephen who seemed to turn a sickly pale when we entered the school. A few beads of sweat trickled down his face.

I quickly turned to him. "You guys stay here, and I'll go have a chat with him," I said.

The two nodded, and silent as a mouse I crept away. I climbed up and down staircases over and over again until I came upon that familiar wood door. I raped my knuckles against the door loudly, and heard on the other side a deep voice echoing: "Come in."

I pushed the door open ever so slowly, and slid in, shutting it behind me.

"Anomie," Ned said. "What brings you back to my office?"

"I need to speak with you about something," I told him.

I walked up to the desk, and Ned motioned for me to sit, but I didn't.

"About your friend I presume," he said.

"Stephen? Yeah," I said. "I was wondering if you'd let me take his place in the test this afternoon."

"Now Anomie, how will he learn to survive if you do his tests for him?" Ned asked serenely.

"I'm not asking you to set him free," I fought back. "I'm just asking you to let him by this time. If you let me do the test then I'll also do a punishment. If you want me to do this favor-"

"Alright, alright, calm down," Ned said. "You can take his place."

He grabbed a piece of paper in which held all of the tests for the day, and who the unlucky students were who was taking them. He marked out Stephen's number and wrote in "101".

"3:00 Anomie," he said.

I nodded dully, and left the office. That was easy – too easy. Maybe it was different now. Maybe they changed the test a little.

I met up with Stephen and Cadince in mine and Erica's room.

"Is he letting you do it?" Cadince asked immediately.

"Yeah," I said.

Stephen sighed and shook his head. "Nomes, how can I ever repay you?" he asked.

"Take care of Erica," I said, waving a hand at my sleeping friend.

Erica was wrapped tightly under her blanket, breathing lightly as she dreamed away. I felt so terrible for what happened to her. She didn't deserve the pain they gave her; she didn't deserve to be here. For all the years that she's been in this school, she still managed to be a sweet and caring girl.

I took in a sharp breath and glanced out the window. The sun was shining so brightly I was sure it was getting ready to explode. And for some reason I wouldn't mind it exploding. I wouldn't mind if the world stopped spinning, and time stood still. I just wanted to find my brother and get out of here.

I haven't seen Daniel for so long. They only let me see him once a year, and then they put him back in hiding. I'd see him soon, hopefully. It wasn't fair to him that he had to go through this too. He was just a little boy. He should be going to school and playing with wooden swords with his friends. I should be taking care of him while working somewhere to make money for us. And father should be a father and stop being selfish.

"Anomie," a soft voice said.

I looked down at Erica and smiled softly. "I'm here," I said, bending down beside her bed.

"Thanks Anomie. For helping me," she said hoarsely.

"Oh, anything for you, kiddo," I laughed.

Erica smiled and sat up in bed. She looked down at her bandaged hands and sighed. "They were laughing," she muttered.

"What?" Stephen asked.

I sat down beside Cadince on my bed and stared at Erica.

"The people nailing my hands," she said. "They were laughing. It hurt so much, Nomie; I thought I was going to die."

"Nonsense," I snorted. "Do you think I'd let them bastards kill you?"

"No," Erica breathed. "I was so relieved when I heard you guys screaming. I knew you guys would come after me."

"Of course we would," Cadince said. "You're our friend, and that's what friends do, they help each other."

"Yeah, and I wish one of my best friends wouldn't do my test," Stephen said, looking at me.

"What?" Erica asked. "Anomie, you're taking Stephen's place?"

"I'm not going to give Ned the pleasure of hurting you guys," I said darkly. "He just wants to see me go insane."

Cadince pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Anomie, I think it's time," she whispered.

I stared at her shortly but nodded. "I believe you are right," I told her.

"You mean we're going to do it early?" Stephen asked.

"Stephen, we don't have much time left anyways," I said, looking at him. "These tests are getting more and more dangerous by the day, and if we don't think of a plan soon then we'll all be dead."

"Everyone but you," Erica said.

"I'm not going to let him get rid of anybody," I said.

Erica opened her mouth to speak, but the door flew open.

"Anomie, we lost one!" Trey barked.

I jumped to my feet. "What?" I yelled.

"138," he said out of breath. "We lost her!"

"Kate," I said under my breath. I immediately dropped to my knees and pulled out a medium sized brown book out from under my bed. I grabbed the nearest writing utensil and opened the book.

The pages were full of names and dates, and other writings. I flipped through the pages until I came upon the last one with names on it, and under the name: "Janice Lowder" I wrote in "Kate Thompson". I then wrote in her number and the date.

"What test?" I asked dangerously.

"The fire," Trey sighed sadly.

I scribbled down the test and then slammed the book shut. "That's the first one we lost this week," I breathed.

"That's the first one we lost this month," Trey growled. "They lengthened the time!"

"They lengthened the fire time?" I asked.

"Yeah, they were testing it and used her as a guinea pig! Apparently they waited too long."

"Kate Thompson," Stephen said under his breath. "Wasn't she that black haired girl?"

"Yeah," Trey said, leaning against the doorway.

Erica bowed her head, and the rest of us did the same. "May her soul rest in peace," she said sympathetically.

"Amen," we all said in unison.

I looked back up and watched Erica wipe the tears from her eyes.

We sat there until 3:00, just talking about random things. I sent Trey off to make sure everyone was okay, and then a man came.

"101," he said, looking at me.

I rose to my feet, but Erica grabbed my left wrist. "Be careful, Nomes," she whispered.

I smiled slightly and nodded. I walked out the door with the man and followed him down to the dungeons. We stopped at one of the many doors and I stared at it doubtfully.

"Alright, you have to-"

"I know what to do!" I hissed. "Has anything changed?"

The man glared at me but shook his head. "Everything is the same," he growled. He handed me a lantern and opened the door. "But you may want to watch out for sharp objects."

The smell of death filled my nostrils and I stared into the pitch black room. I stepped in, and the door was shut and locked immediately. I gulped and closed my eyes.

"Thirty minutes," I told myself. I had only thirty minutes to find the key and get out. I opened my eyes and held the lantern out in front of me. Five dark figures lay on the damp, cold ground. None of them were breathing, and none moved.

I moved forward and felt around with my feet. Before I entered the room I had to take my shoes off. It was some kind of rule for this test.

I felt something crumble under my feet and moaned in pain when I felt the shards of glass embed themselves in my flesh. I closed my eyes shut tightly and grunted as I moved my other foot along, crushing more glass.

I looked down at the floor behind me to see my bloody footprints. _I've been in worse pain_, I reminded myself. Normally I could handle the pain, but there wasn't one thing on my mind, so all I thought about was pain. I quickly pushed that thought away when Daniel's image came to mind, and I willed myself to drop to the ground beside the nearest body.

Pieces of glass crushed beneath my knees, in which were unsafely covered by my skirt. I laid the lantern down beside me and took in a deep breath before reaching into the pocket of the man's jacket. Something sharp jabbed into my finger, and I pulled my hand out instantly.

Little droplets of blood seeped from the small wound, and I raised my eyebrows.

"Well what do we have here?" I said, watching a rat crawl out from the pocket. "Sorry for invading your home," I told it.

The rat squeaked angrily and scurried away into the shadows. I shrugged to myself and reached back into the pocket, to find it now empty. I searched all pockets of his clothing, but found them empty.

_Let's see, where was that thing last time_? I asked myself. I flashed back to the last time I was in this room, and remembered scratching wildly at on of the body's skin, and under the flesh was a little silver key.

"Oh hell no," I sighed. I still wondered how they got that damn key in that man's skin, but pushed that thought away.

I gave up on the first body, and moved across the glass to the next. This man, though, was completely nude, and looked as if he had been cut open and stitched up over and over again. I gagged and looked away, trying not to throw up the contents of my stomach.

I turned back to the ghastly smell and looked around the man. Well, if the key was on him then it was surely somewhere inside of him.

"Maybe he ate it," I laughed.

Okay, so I wasn't humoring myself. I was trying to listen for a snicker from the live man, but nothing came. I grunted and glared at the bodies. I went on to the next man, only searching clothing before deciding to tear apart innocent bodies.

This man's head was once cut off, but sewed back on. I bit my lip and looked down at his pant pocket, which was as big as my hand. There was a lump in the pocket, and curiosity got the best of me. I reached in and felt something stiff. I grabbed hold of it and pulled out a hand. I screamed loudly and fell backwards on my back.

I looked up and finally realized that the man's hand had been chopped off, and some insane moron stuck it in his pocket.

"I don't think he wants it back!" I said loudly.

I got back on my knees and searched the man from head to toe, but found nothing. I shivered and gagged at the smell, but moved on to the fourth man. He was lying in a puddle of blood, so technically he was just recently killed. He was what smelt so bad. I then noticed something that made my heart skip a beat.

There were holes in his hands and feet, and it looked as if somebody wrapped a rope tightly around his wrists. His shirt was sticky with blood coming from his sides. I made the symbol of the cross by tracing my finger from my forehead to my stomach, and then from one shoulder to the other before searching him.

There was no key in his clothing, so I moved on to the last body. It was either the first man, or the last that was alive, and the live man never had the key.

"I pronounce you dead," I told the body as I checked for a pulse. Oh yeah, it's real hard to tell who the live one is. Let me just sit here until time is over and find out instead of checking for a pulse.

"Twenty minutes," came a voice from the other side of the door.

"Wanna give me a hint, buddy?" I called out.

I didn't get an answer but I chuckled anyways. I stood to my feet, lantern in hand and looked at each body.

"Which one, which one," I said to myself.

I dropped to my knees beside the nude man. The key was inside someone's body, and if I had to guess, it'd be the stitched man. I clawed at his chest until the stitches opened, and I looked away.

"Oh God forgive me," I said.

I reached into his body, and felt around. I instantly pulled my hand out and coughed up the contents in my stomach to the side. I groaned and coughed up again. I turned back to the body and continued to search inside his body. I didn't feel a key, and pulled my hand out quickly.

I whimpered in disgust and moved far, far away from the bodies and leaned against the wall. I sat on the cold ground, just staring at them.

"This is so wrong," I said aloud.

I took in deep breaths, but found myself puking once more from the putrid smell. I crawled over to one of the bodies and just stared down at it.

"Just kill me now," I told nobody in particular. "Just kill me."

Nothing happened.

"Ten minutes," a voice said again.

I didn't even realize how much time I had wasted, and I jolted back to life and found myself searching everywhere. I looked through bodies, searched clothing once more, and even looked up their noses.

I growled in anger and got to my feet and kicked one of the bodies over and over.

"Where is the damn key?" I yelled.

I picked up a piece of glass and threw it against the wall. It shattered into a million pieces and flew back to the floor.

For the first time since I been in that room, I finally realized a weapon in the far corner.

"Oh great, an axe," I said, out of breath. "What am I supposed to do with that?" I screamed.

I picked it up lazily, which was stupid. The axe slipped through my fingers and the blade cut into my calf. I stumbled backwards in pain and my back hit the wall. I finally yelled in pain and clasped my hands over the bleeding wound.

"Five minutes," a voice said.

"Screw you!" I screamed.

I was surprised I didn't even sprout a tear, but I was too disgusted to cry. My feet, hands and knees were bloody, and now my calf was throbbing in pain.

Somehow I managed to continue searching through the bodies, and still found nothing. There was no key in these bodies.

"There's no key," I said. "There's no key!"

"Ten, nine, eight, seven…"

I looked around desperately and my eyes quickly landed on the hand lying in the middle of the floor. I grabbed it up and clawed around it.

"Four, three, two…"

I pulled out a small silver key and took in a deep breath.

"One."

I turned around and ran right into somebody.

"Times up," the live man said. He picked up the axe and held it far over his head.

My eyes grew wide and I instantly pushed him to the ground. I stepped over his body and fumbled with the key in the lock. I heard a click and pushed the door open, and slammed it shut behind me.

"Test passed," a voice said from behind me.

I turned around and stared at the man who dragged me down here. I moaned in pain once I remembered my wounded calf and clutched my leg tightly.

"You may want to visit the school infirmary," the man said with disgust in his voice.

The school infirmary only fixed up people who were badly wounded – like they did Erica.

I didn't understand what had just happened in that room, but I felt something in my heart. I couldn't tell what it was, but it felt a little something like…guilt.

**Next Chapter: Anomie spends some alone time with Spot on the docks.**

**Anomie is finally allowed to visit with her brother.**

**Author note: So, this chapter disgusted me, and I'm pretty sure it disgusted you too. Sorry about that.**


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Author note: Okay, so the last chapter was disgusting, but I did warn you. Let's see how this chapter goes.**

I stumbled to the infirmary, looking like one of them homeless people who just lost a fight. One of the nurses cleaned my wounds, but she wasn't gentle about it. She stitched up my leg, and wrapped a bandage around it tightly.

I walked back to my room, still shaken from searching through dead bodies.

"Anomie, you passed!" Erica shrieked once I walked through the door.

Her smile turned to a frown when she saw the sickly look on my face and I collapsed on the bed. Stephen and Cadince jumped up at once.

"Anomie, what happened?" Stephen asked.

"I hate dead people," I mumbled into my pillow, ready to puke at any given time.

"Was it worse than last time?" Cadince asked.

I sat up in bed and winced from the pain in my leg. "No," I lied. Like I'd ever admit to it being horrible, yeah right.

"What's that on your leg?" Erica asked, seeing the bandage poking out from my skirt.

I sighed and shook my head. "I got in a fight with an axe. The axe won."

"You had to get stitches?" Cadince asked.

"It's not that bad," I shrugged. "I don't really want to talk about it."

After washing up, and trying not to puke, Stephen and I left for Brooklyn. Erica still wasn't feeling well, and Cadince was summoned by her uncle.

I limped alongside of Stephen to the docks, which was completely empty except for two people.

"Hey Spot," Stephen greeted Brooklyn's jackass.

Blade was standing beside Spot, grinning.

"Stephen, can I speak with you?" Blade asked.

"Lemme guess. It's about Erica," Stephen said.

Blade blushed and pulled Stephen away. Far away. Leaving me alone with Spot. I sent him a dark glare and looked out at the water.

"Where's your prostitute, Conlon?" I asked rudely.

"I got rid of 'er," Spot shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets and leaning against a pile of crates.

"Why? She wasn't good enough for you?" I asked disgustedly.

Spot stared out at the setting sun as I sat down and hung my legs over the side.

"Nobody is good enough for _me_," he said proudly.

I looked up at him with hateful eyes. "Well you just have yourself all figured out now don't you?" I asked.

"Sure do," he answered.

"Then I'm sure you've already concluded that you're a real ass," I hissed.

Spot met my eyes, his fiery, mine icy. "There isn't much room for you ta talk, sweetheart," he said.

"Oh I know I'm an ass. But do you know that you are?"

"I know I'm one. And I know I'm tougher den you," he said, kicking the side of my calf lightly.

I winced at the throbbing pain his light kick caused and clutched my fists. Spot saw the painful look in my eyes, and raised his eyebrows.

"What's with you, Anorm?" he asked.

"None of your business," I told him enigmatically. I pressed my palm over my wound and closed my eyes.

"Whatevah," Spot shrugged.

I sat there on the docks, looking down at my reflection in the bluish gray water.

"What do ya see, Anorm?" Spot asked softly, bending down beside me.

I was surprised to hear such softness in his voice, but replied, "Just some stupid, lost girl." I threw a rock down at my reflection and it rippled and then went back in place.

Spot furrowed his eyebrows and stared over the side at our reflections.

"What do you see?" I asked, glancing over at him.

He stared down at the water as if he were in thought, and then looked back up at me. "I see one rough goil, and a very lonely boy."

"What makes you lonely?" I asked confusedly.

"You don't know da half of it," he sighed, sitting down so that one leg was hanging over the side and the other propped up beside him, resting his elbow on his knee.

"Wait, you have girls all over you hot shot, you can't be lonely," I said.

"It's like bein in a crowded room, Anorm, but you still feel like yer da only one there," Spot told me.

"Look around, Conlon, you just might be the only one there," I said.

Spot looked over at me, his eyes squinted in wonderment. "What makes you different?" he asked.

"Different from what?"

"From everyone else."

I rolled my eyes and leaned back. "Don't tell me I'm different. Everyone who's different is a freak," I said.

"You are a freak," Spot said, not one bit of sarcasm in his voice.

"I'm just trying to survive," I said honestly.

The sun seemed to be getting lower and lower, making the scene before me even more beautiful. Spot's presence made me tense, but other than that it was peaceful.

"Why do you argue with me?" the newsie beside me asked.

"That's an easy one. Because I don't get along with cocky, self-absorbed people," I said proudly.

Spot laughed at that one – I mean really laughed. It was like hearing a foreign language being spoken on a wild carriage heading for a steep cliff.

"You think I'm cocky?" he asked, a grin playing on his face.

I stared at him as if he were an alien. "Are you drunk?" I asked cautiously.

This made Spot grin even wider. "Nah," he said. "It's just…nobody ever had da guts ta evah stand up ta me da way you do."

"Well that's sad," I said, looking down at the water.

Spot pulled off his cap and ruffled his hair. "I don't know how Cromwell puts up with ya, Anorm," he said. "Yer a handful."

"How would you know? You barely even know me," I said, glaring at him.

Spot shrugged, "I don't need ta know you to know what yer like," he said.

"Yeah, and I thought I was out of my mind," I muttered.

"You are," Spot said, taking in a deep breath.

"I hate you," I admitted, looking over at him.

"Ah, dat's what you say, but do you really mean it?" Spot asked.

"Let me think about that….Yes."

"Oh well, dat's jus' one less person," he said.

"Well aren't I just inferior?" I sent Spot another glare.

"You know, Anorm, we could get along if you'd jus' quit bein so insecure," Spot said.

"I'm not insecure," I snapped. "And I don't want to get along with a jackass like you."

"Well I'm not da one beatin myself up because I'm no greater den everyone else," Spot said, looking down at my hurt calf.

"I'm not beating myself up," I said, shivering from the memory of dead bodies. "Do you think I'm suicidal?"

"Maybe," Spot said.

"Well I'm not," I argued.

"Den why do you keep wearin dis?" he asked, grabbing my right arm to show my bandaged wrist. Apparently the idiot doesn't see the bandage on my other friend's wrists. Oh wait, they wear long sleeves…Damn it!

"What, is it against the law now to wear bandages?" I asked, trying to pull my arm away, but he just pulled back.

"What's under it?" he asked, a look I couldn't describe in his eye.

"Nothing!" I said, pulling on my arm.

Spot pried at the bandage with his other hand, and I jerked away. This made me hit my wound, and I moaned in pain, which gave Spot the advantage and he pulled my bandage off completely.

He stared down at the carved number on my wrist and traced his fingers over it. "Are you insane?" he yelled.

I got to my feet, the stitches in my calf now open and blood seeping down my leg.

"You just couldn't mind your own business, could you?" I yelled back.

"You're hoiting yerself, Anorm, you need help!" he argued.

"I told you, I'm not doing this!"

"Den who is? Somebody who sneaks in your room at night and tortures you?" he yelled.

"You know nothing about me, so don't start coming up with bullshit!" I screamed.

"I'm jus' tryin ta help-"

"Well don't!"

"Damn it, Parker, do you want ta kill yerself?" he asked.

"Why do you care?" I shouted.

Spot stared at me with cold eyes. "Fine, I don't, kill yerself. I don't care, but yer friends might."

My bandaged floated in the river, and I felt the urge to jump in and grab it. "You're just getting in the way, Conlon. Don't get anymore involved then you already are!"

And with that said I marched away, yearning to jump in the river and die.

I found myself back in the infirmary at school, getting my wound re-stitched. After that I cleaned up and put another bandage around my wrist, trying to calm myself down. One of Ned's spies had to see that, and probably already reported it to him.

As I was walking down the hall to my room, somebody stopped me.

"Anomie Parker," the man said in a deep, unkind voice. "You are wanted at the front desk."

I found no need to argue back and followed him to the front desk where a bunch of men dressed in dark colors stood.

"You have ten minutes," one said, opening the door to a room.

I gave him an odd look but entered the room, hoping this wasn't another test. Once the door closed I looked ahead of me and felt my eyes water.

"Anomie!" Daniel shrieked, running up to me.

I dropped to my knees – which was very painful – and wrapped my arms around my ten-year-old brother. Tears traced down his face, and I held mine in.

"Oh God, Daniel," I said, holding onto him tightly.

We then broke apart and I examined him intently. He had a bruise right under his right eye, a busted lip, and a scar going across his forehead.

"What have they done to you?" I whispered, running my fingers through his bright, blonde hair.

"Can I come home now?" he asked weakly, his eyes pleading me.

"I wish you could," I told him. "I wish we both could go home."

Daniel wiped at his tears and sniffed. "I don't like those people, Anomie. They're mean and rude," he said.

"I know," I said, hugging him once more. "I know."

"Do you think they'll let us free?" Daniel asked me.

I stared at him, feeling nothing but pity and hurt. "Listen, Danny; we'll be free soon, I promise. I'll do my best to pass. I can't fail, I won't!"

"Anomie, it's been five years," Daniel sobbed. "I wanna come home."

"You just, you just hold on, okay? I'm not waiting any longer. I can't," I told him. I wiped away one of his stray tears and smiled at him. "Once we're free, we'll move to a nice area, where you'll make friends and go to school, and I'll take care of you."

"Why does father hate us?" Daniel asked sadly.

I looked down at the ground and sighed. "Greed can turn anybody into a traitor, Dan. Remember that."

"I thought I saw mother, yesterday," he said, looking serious. "The woman looked just like her, and was very sweet. She took care of me for the day, but then she left."

"Some people are good," I said, trying to smile again.

"Am I good?" Daniel asked.

My eyes softened and my heart sank. "Yes, Danny. You're good."

"Are you good?" he asked me.

I blinked a few times and frowned. "I don't think good describes me anymore, Dan."

Daniel shook his head and patted my shoulder. "You're good, Anomie. I know you are. You're my sister."

Tears finally fell down my cheeks. I bowed my head and closed my eyes shut tight.

"I'm sorry, Daniel," I whispered. "I am so sorry."

I just couldn't believe that I was seeing him in person again. It was like a miracle – like magic. I wanted time to stop and let this moment never end. He looked so pale and sick, but still managed to smile.

"Why are you sorry, Anomie?" he asked.

I didn't answer his question. Instead I gripped him into another hug and never let go. This time I couldn't hold onto my pride and cried like I never have before.

"Times up," the man said, opening the door.

I pulled away from Daniel and kissed his forehead. "I love you, okay?" I said.

"I love you too, sis," he said, smiling.

I got to my feet and stared down at him. Leaving was the hardest thing to do. The man grabbed my arm and pulled me out, and I watched Daniel stand alone in the middle of the room, crying.

We had to come up with a plan soon, and if we didn't then I'd probably go insane. There wasn't a way out, so we had to make one…Even if we died trying.

**Next Chapter: Anomie is worried about Spot find out the truth, and even more worried about this new respect she holds for him.**

**Author note: Yeah, yeah, touchy chapter.**


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Author note: Well, hope you enjoyed the last chapter – enjoy this one!**

"You let him see your wrist?" Stephen yelled, his eyes as wide as apples.

"No," I said. "He found out himself. I had no part in helping him!"

"What do you think he'll do?" Erica asked.

"He better keep his mouth shut if he knows what's good for him," I said sharply.

"Ha! Everyone said that I'd be the one discovered first, but I wasn't! Our leader was," Cadince laughed.

"Shut up," I said, sending her a dark look.

"I'm just kidding," Cadince shrugged, grinning.

"Well, you and Spot don't get along, so technically he wouldn't care about you," Stephen explained, scratching his head.

"That isn't the way I saw it," I muttered under my breath.

"Well, I guess you'll just have to act like nothing ever happened," Stephen said.

It was Friday, the day where we all went home for the weekend to our selfish families and feel even more left out.

Reluctantly I walked out of the school and made my way for "home", wherever that was. My friends went their own ways, and I entered the big house unwillingly.

Once I entered I stared confusedly at the swarm of maids.

"What in the hell is going on?" I asked, looking around.

"Uh, sir is redecorating, Miss," one of the maids told me.

"What in God's name for?"

"Sir met a woman, Miss, and I believe they are planning on getting married here," she told me.

I narrowed my eyes dangerously and stomped upstairs. "Christopher!" I boomed.

I stormed into my father's office. He was there, but a woman was with him, staring at him all googly eyed.

"Anomie, what have I taught you about knocking?" father asked angrily.

"Well it isn't like you're having sex or anything!" I hissed.

Father sent me a warning look, and rose from his chair. "Do not speak to me like that, young lady!" he snapped.

I stared at him like he had just grown an extra head. I then looked at the woman. She had long, dark brown hair and the brightest green eyes I'd ever seen. Well, you could tell that she was father's woman, because her body was one of a whore's.

"Who are you?" I asked, giving her a disgusted look.

"I'm your father's fiancée, Ana," she answered in a fake voice.

I rolled my eyes and folded my arms over my chest. "When were you planning on telling me about this?" I asked him.

"It isn't any of your business," father told me.

"I believe it is!" I yelled.

"Sweetheart, don't mind her, she barely even lives here," father told the Ana.

I clutched my fists tightly, getting ready to unleash my mad fighting skills.

"Oh, we'll get along just fine," Ana told me. "You can call me mother."

My eyes suddenly went dark, and I felt this dangerous surge of energy flow through my body. Ana flinched at the look on my face, and gave me a bemused look.

"I only have one mother, you fucking whore, and you're nothing compared to her!" I said venomously.

Ana licked at the dryness of her lips and stepped back, grabbing hold of father's arm. I even saw the fear in my father's eyes as he cleared his throat.

"Run along, Anomie," he told me.

"Screw you!" I said. "Screw you and your damned whore!"

I left the house with a slam of the door, anger running through my veins. I had to use all my willpower not to blow up and start a killing rampage.

I walked down the streets, ignoring the pain if gave my wound. Not even noticing what I was doing, I found myself running into someone, and then catching my balance.

"What the hell?" I said, looking up.

Spot stared down at me with the same confused look, but then got over it quickly.

"Anorm," he said, giving me a warning look.

"I don't want to hear it Conlon," I said, walking past him.

"What did I do?" he asked, jogging up beside me.

"It's not you, surprise, surprise," I told him. "It has nothing to do with you."

"That's a foist," Spot laughed.

I sent him a glance and quickened my pace to get rid of him. "Don't you have things to do?" I asked rudely.

"Always," Spot grinned. "But I put 'em aside ta take a short break."

"Good, now why don't you start on that?" I said, dodging people.

I could feel his eyes boring into my wrist, and all I wanted to do was turn around and slap him, but a feeling inside me told me not to.

"Well, some company won't hoit," he said with a shrug.

I slowed my pace and gave him an odd look. "We're enemies, Conlon, why in the world would you want to walk with me?" I asked.

"I dunno," he said honestly. "I find it entertainin when I talk to ya."

"I'm glad you're amused," I said, staring ahead of me.

"Y'know, I ain't gonna say anythin to anyone 'bout yer wrist," Spot told me.

"So the Brooklyn jerk can keep his mouth shut?" I asked, using fake astonishment.

"Hey, it ain't my business."

"That's right, now leave me alone," I demanded.

"You know what yer problem is?" Spot asked, walking to the other side of me.

"I have a five foot seven freak following me?"

"No, you don't give anyone a chance," he said.

"You don't deserve a chance," I argued.

"I ain't askin for one," he said. "I was jus' tellin you yer problem. Why would I beg a goil like you for a chance?"

"I don't know Conlon," I sighed, getting annoyed.

"Where's Cromwell?" Spot asked, changing the subject.

I didn't answer him. I didn't even look at him as I walked along the sidewalk.

"What's wrong now, Anorm?" he asked.

"Nothing," I growled.

Spot roughly grabbed my left wrist and stopped me from walking any further.

"Yer hidin somethin," he said.

"Let go of me, jackass!" I hissed.

"Anorm, you can't hide forever!"

"Wanna bet?" I asked.

He let go of my wrist and stared at me doubtfully. "Yer lost, aren't you?" he asked.

"Nope, I know where I'm going," I said.

"No, I don't mean it dat way," Spot said. "I mean…yer lost."

I glanced over at him and shrugged. "I'm always lost," I told him.

"I thought I knew da people in my territory, and I thought I could handle dem. But you…you are one confusin person, doll," Spot laughed.

"I know," I said honestly.

"So, where ya headed?" Spot asked.

"Nowhere," I said. "Just walking."

"Oh yeah?" he said.

"Yeah."

"Well, come with me, and I'll show ya how ta sell papes," Spot said.

"What?"

"Jus' come on."

I let Spot drag me around Brooklyn for awhile until we came up the distribution center. Spot cut in line while I stayed beside the gate. He then came back holding newspapers in his hands.

"These, sweetface, are newspapers," he said, holding them out.

"Never would've guessed," I said.

Spot grinned and walked out into the streets. I watched him scan over the newspaper briefly. I rolled my eyes and leaned against the wall of a building.

"Citizens rampage over rapidly growing rodents!" Spot yelled.

I furrowed my eyebrows and shook my head. "What is that?" I asked.

"It's called stretchin da truth a little," he said, taking a penny from a woman and handing her a paper.

"It's called lying, genius," I said.

Spot handed me a paper, and I read over the real headline. "Citizens rampage about multiplying rats," I read aloud. "Has nothing to do with rats getting bigger."

Spot shrugged, "Can't sell with dat headline."

I rolled my eyes and flipped through the paper. "Man makes millions," I read boredly. "Isn't that shocking?"

Spot shrugged and sold two more papers. "Happens everyday in New York," he said. "Gets borin after awhile."

"I suppose," I said, reading over more lame headlines.

Spot looked back at me and grinned. "Wanna try?" he asked.

"Didn't you say at one point that you'd never let me be a – what are you? – newsie?"

"Things change, sweetheart," Spot said.

"No thanks," I told him.

Spot shrugged and continued selling. "You know, yer not bad when you ain't yellin at me," he said.

"Well not everybody lives on the bad side, now do they?"

"Apparently not," he answered.

Spot stared at me, and I found myself smiling – smiling! He laughed and shook his head.

"Yer not bad company either," he said.

My smile faded quickly when I saw one of Ned's men, watching me like a hawk. He saw me having a good time with Spot, and now Ned will know.

"Uh, I have to go," I said, handing him the newspaper.

"Oh, why?" he asked.

"I just have to go," I told him.

Spot furrowed his eyebrows confusedly. "Why? Still think I'm cocky?"

"No, not at all," I said. "It's just…uh…I have to go."

Stupid Ned – he ruins everything!

Spot smiled and shook his head. "Need me ta walk you back? Brooklyn is a dangerous place ya know."

"That's generous – which is surprising – but no thanks, I'll be fine," I assured him.

"Yer not a bad person, Anorm – I mean Anomie. I'll see ya later."

I smiled once more and nodded as I left.

I felt something inside of me that I never felt before. It felt like…butterflies. Why would I have butterflies?

**Next Chapter: Anomie finds herself getting close with Spot Conlon.**

**Author note: Can we all say Aw? "AWWWW!"**


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Author note: Another glorious chapter!**

The next day I awoke to the sound of growling. I rolled over in bed and stared down at an ugly looking dog, growling up at me. I blinked my eyes and sat up.

"Out!" I hissed.

The dog whimpered and ran out of the cracked door. I pushed the sheets off of me. After washing up and changing, I boredly walked downstairs.

Just like yesterday there were maids running around everywhere. Some were carrying armloads of laundry and towels, and others were carrying random objects. I stood in the middle of the foyer, watching them hustle around.

"Miss Parker, you are wanted in the dining room," a maid told me, smiling brightly.

I furrowed my eyebrows and shrugged to myself. I walked through a huge set of doors and into the dining room, where a long table sat in the middle.

At one end was my father, and at the other sat Ana.

"Anomie, dear, take a seat," father instructed me, pointing to the chair in the middle.

I stared at him doubtfully as I sat down in the chair. Father never sent for me – not even to eat dinner. And here I sat, in the dining room with him and his soon to be wife.

"What's going on?" I asked, sending him a suspicious glance.

"Well, Anomie, we'll soon have an add-on to the family, and I believe that we should start acting like one," father explained.

"Why?" I asked.

"Well, Ana wants this," he told me. "And she would like to get to know you."

"Yes, I would," Ana said cheerily. "Every afternoon after school you can come home to enjoy dinner with your father and me."

"But I go to a boarding school, they serve dinner there," I said, remembering the taste of the disgusting food they served us.

"But it's optional, is it not?" Ana asked. "And your father told me that they'll let you leave the premises after lessons."

Lessons, since when did we actually learn anything?

I looked over at father, and quietly asked, "Does she know?"

He shook his head warningly, and I turned back to staring at the empty table before me.

The door opened, and a maid announced, "Breakfast is served."

Some more maids entered from other doors, and one placed a plate of food in front of me. I stared down at it cautiously and then watched as the maids placed things in the middle of the table.

Father and Ana began to eat sophisticatedly, sitting up straight and chewing each bite slowly.

"Anomie, eat," father told me.

I rolled my eyes and picked up a fork and began to eat. I had to admit – our cook could really, well, cook. I looked up at the empty space in front of me, where Daniel should be sitting.

I stared down guiltily at the food in front of me. I couldn't eat while knowing that Daniel was being neglected by father and probably not eating anything compared to this. Ana didn't even know about him. She was marrying into a family of lies and hate – and even murder. She was making the mistake of her life.

I sighed loudly and laid down my fork. "I have to go," I said, rising from the chair.

"Anomie, wait," father said. "Ana and I have something to tell you."

I stared at him and waited.

"We're going to be a family now, and I think it is right for you to know. I'm pregnant," Ana said happily.

I said nothing as I turned and left, white as a ghost. Did he think he could come into my life and start acting fatherly at a time like this? For all those years he ignored and hated me, did he think I'd forgive him? Did he think that I would forgive him for doing this to me – to Daniel?

I opened the front door and slammed it shut behind me. The cool air of Brooklyn brushed against my hair, and I stood staring at the crowded people lifelessly.

I walked along the sidewalk, and didn't even notice that my feet led me to the vacant docks. Not a soul stepped foot on it.

I, on the other hand, stepped onto the wood and listened to my feet patting across it. I sat down in the middle and hugged my knees to my chest.

I could still smell that sweet perfume mother use to wear, and remember the nights where we sat in her room, doing each other's hair. I could still feel the softness of her hands, and how smooth her skin always was. I could still see the curly blonde locks of her hair, and how she would always put it up when we were playing dress up. I could still hear her laugh when we were being silly, and didn't have a care in the world. I could still see her lovely smile, and her bright, blue eyes staring down at me lovingly. And I could still remember hugging her tightly as she died in my arms.

_I ran past the garden and to the meadow, giggling uncontrollably. My skirt flew behind me, and my hair came loose out of its bun. The butterflies were just a few feet ahead._

"_Eve, slow down," mother laughed, coming up behind me._

_I turned around, grinning, and then resumed chasing the vibrant colored butterflies. Our backyard was huge and beautiful with its colorful garden and bright, green grass, with a cool forest in the distance._

_My eight-year-old form ran in circles, holding my arms out to catch the orange and yellow butterfly._

_Two soft hands enclosed gently around it, and I gasped excitedly as my mother bent down and opened her hand to show me the insect._

"_For my little butterfly," she said sweetly._

_I held my hand out and the butterfly gracefully crawled into it, and I giggled happily. The feeling of it crawling across my hand tickled and I let it fly away freely._

"_That's my girl," mother said, planting a kiss upon my forehead._

_She stood up fully and took my hand in hers, leading me back to our medium sized house. It was cozy and always warm because of the frequently lit fireplace, and shined whenever mother put out a pot of flowers to give it a welcoming look._

_As we walked by the garden, I bent down and inhaled the scent of the daisies._

"_Don't they smell delightful?" mother asked, pulling one out of its roots and tucking it behind my ear._

"_Yes," I answered, grinning._

_Mother laughed – the most beautiful sound ever – and led me back into the house. She picked Kaiden up from his crib and cradled him in her arms. I glared jealously up at him, and huffed angrily._

"_Oh Eve, don't do that," mother said. "I love you too," she told me truthfully._

_I smiled faintly and walked into the living room. Father sat on the sofa, reading over the newspaper intently. He never devoted his time to me, so I barely knew him. He would just come and go as he pleased, and only said hi when I crossed his path._

_I summoned up my courage and walked up to him._

"_Hey daddy," I squeaked._

_Father lowered the newspaper and peered down at me awkwardly._

"_Hello Eve," he said, returning to his newspaper._

_I clumsily climbed up onto the couch and stood beside him, holding onto his shoulder for balance._

"_What does that say?" I asked, looking down at the printed words._

"_Mayor's house is burned to ashes," father read aloud._

_I tilted my head and stared at the paper. "How do you know how to read?" I asked annoyingly._

_I saw a slight smile on father's face as he pulled me onto his lap and held the paper out in front of us._

"_My father taught me, and I'll teach you," he said. "You see this – this is an 'A'," he said, pointing down at the letter._

"_A," I said, tracing my finger on the letter._

"_Can you think up a word that starts with A?" father asked._

"_Well, I saw mommy read the word apple, and it looked like that letter was in front," I said._

"_Correct," father said, smiling down at me…_

I pulled myself out of that memory instantly, just remembering father trying to be a father irritated me.

I listened as footsteps drew near me, and then stopped.

"Anomie?" I heard someone say, a deep, chilling accent rolling off his tongue.

I looked up at Spot and watched as he sat down beside me.

"What are you doin here?" he asked, looking over at me.

"Just relaxing," I said, looking over at him.

"Sounds heavenly," Spot sighed, wiping at the beads of sweat trickling down his face.

"Did you sell good?" I asked, resting my chin on my knee.

"Headlines are killers," he said. "Today dey were decent."

"Well, that's good," I said.

"I suppose," Spot shrugged. "Gotta head ovah ta Manhattan, tonight."

"What for?" I asked, looking over at him.

"Pokah game," Spot grinned.

"Good luck," I said as a breeze brushed by.

Spot pulled his cap off and wiped at more sweat dripping from his head. "It's a scorcher out here," he said.

"It feels alright," I said, looking out at the water.

"You never smile, do you?" Spot asked out of the blue.

"Why smile when there's nothing to smile about?" I asked.

"Ah, put some color in yer world, sweetheart," Spot said, leaning back.

I looked at him oddly and spoke, "I'm not the only one who barely smiles."

Spot raised his eyebrows. "I smile," he said. "When there's somethin to smile 'bout."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "I think you have a visitor," I said, watching a boy running at full speed towards us.

Spot sat up straight and got to his feet. He turned around and held his hand out to me, and I hesitantly took it. He lifted me to my feet, and turned towards the boy.

"What is it?" he asked, changing into leader mode.

The boy doubled over to catch a breath. "Over there," he said, pointing out in the direction of an alleyway, breathing hard. "A fight…Blade and Cromwell…need help."

"Stephen?" I said. "Stephen is out there?"

The boy nodded and I took off. I could hear Spot and the boy running behind me as I pushed through people and ran into the alleyway.

Spot stopped behind me as we stared at a fight before us.

Stephen and Blade were fighting with four other boys, who seemed to be winning. Stephen got punched in the nose and blood flew everywhere, and then the boy uppercut him.

I immediately jumped in, and pushed the boy away from him, fire in my eyes. The boy seemed to be surprised at first, but then laughed when he saw a girl.

He moved forward and I instantly drove my fist into his nose, and flipped him over my shoulder onto his back. I grabbed hold of his wrists tightly to keep him from fighting back and brought my foot into his ribs three times. I let go of his hands and watched as he cried out in pain, clutching his side.

I turned to another boy and faked an uppercut, and then brought my foot up to his precious area roughly. He dropped to his knees and once he did I punched him in the eye.

Somebody attacked me from behind, and I grabbed his arms and flipped him over onto his back and nailed him in the jaw several times.

The fourth boy backed away, holding his hands up in surrender. I was fast and grabbed him by his hair and drove his head into the wall, and let him drop to the ground unconscious.

"Holy shit," the boy beside Spot said. "She just beat up four boys!"

Spot stood there, stunned, just staring at me like I was some foreign object. Stephen appeared at my side and rolled his eyes.

I was handling that!" he exclaimed.

I looked at the blood dripping from his nose, staining his shirt. "Yeah, you did a good job of doing that," I said.

"Damn, Anomie, you can kick ass," Blade said, standing up from the ground.

I shrugged and walked out of the alley, Spot and the others following.

"Remind me not to get on yer noives," Spot laughed.

"If I was planning on hurting you Spot I would've done it already," I said.

"Yer pretty strong, Parker, but the real question is: are you stronger than me?" he challenged

"Wanna find out?" I asked.

"Oh this should be good. Da best goil fighter versus da best guy fighter," the boy who told us about the fight said.

"Shut up, Rolly, I da best fighter evah," Spot announced jokingly.

"You're full of yourself, Conlon," I said, looking up at him.

Spot raised his eyebrows and smirked, fiddling with the cane in his hands.

I smiled – for the second time that week. And it was all because of him.

**Next Chapter: Erica and Blade are caught together by one of Ned's spies. Anomie has to convince Ned to punish her for Erica's mistake.**

**Author note: Hope you enjoyed it. We had some fighting, so be happy!**


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Author note: So, sorry for not updating yesterday, I do have excuses but sadly I don't have time to type them out.**

I had to visit the infirmary once again that week. The school was open to those who didn't have families to go home to.

The stitches in my leg were beginning to become a bother, and I just realized how much of an idiot I was in that room.

As I left the school, frowning to myself. I watched a man scurry behind a building, dressed in nothing but dark clothing.

I knew it was one of Ned's spies just by looking at him. He had that dirtiness of a spy, but lacked the sneakiness. I rolled my eyes to myself and continued down the street until I came upon Joy's diner, and smiled to myself when I looked through the window to see Stephen and Spot sitting with Blade and Erica.

I entered, listening to that little annoying _ding_ coming from the bell at the top of the door. Stephen looked towards the door and motioned me over to the round table. I sat down beside Erica, just across from the Brooklyn leader, and glanced over at her.

"How are your hands?" I whispered to Erica.

She looked down at her bandaged palms and frowned. "They're okay," she whispered back.

Blade looked down at her and grinned, and she returned one of her own. I bit my lip, remembering the warning that Ned gave me, and sighed deeply.

"Somethin wrong, Parker?" Spot asked from across the table.

"No," I said, looking over at him.

He sat lazily in his chair, sitting back comfortably and relaxed, his cap sitting on the table. For a leader he was quite small for his age, but then again what did I know? I spent five years in a school of survival and death. The only thing I knew about boys was that they tried too hard to please the opposite sex.

Spot just shrugged and ran a hand through his hair, which was slightly damp from sweat. I stared at him for a minute and smiled – again. He looked at me oddly at first, but returned the smile, which made my stomach do flip-flops.

_I'm getting too close_, I thought. I never smile about a boy, no matter how attractive and sweet. Hell, I never smile period. And here I was, smiling at a boy who I barely knew, and hated with all my heart – or so I thought.

I looked away as a waiter approached us.

"What can I get you?" he asked disgustedly.

I glared up at him and sat up straight. "You know, you're not going to have many happy customers with that attitude, buddy," I said rudely.

"Excuse me?" he asked angrily.

"She said yer bein an ass, is it dat hard ta comprehend?" Spot asked, also glaring up at the waiter.

The waiter rolled his eyes and smacked his lips.

"There you go again," I said, waving my hands in the hair.

"Are you people gonna order or not?" he asked.

"Nah, I'm not hungry," I said, settling back in my chair.

"Me either," Spot said, propping his feet up onto the table.

Stephen grinned and shook his head and ordered himself something to eat. Blade chuckled and ordered a coffee, and Erica did the same.

Spot grinned over at me and winked, and I merely rolled my eyes. He laughed slightly and shook his head.

"So, when did you two start getting along?" Erica asked, smiling brightly.

Spot raised his eyebrows in amusement and crossed his arms over his chest. "Depends on watchya mean by 'getting along'," he said.

Erica shook her head and laughed. "I guess that mean you are friends now, right?" she asked.

I shrugged, as did Spot, which caused everyone to laugh.

"See, I told you she wasn't that bad of a person," Stephen said, patting my shoulder.

I stared at him warningly and narrowed my eyes. "Don't touch me," I said.

Stephen pulled his hand away and sighed. "But she's still got attitude problems," he said.

After drinking their coffees, Blade and Erica left for the docks, leaving me with the Brooklyn joke, and Mr. Eats-a lot.

Spot made silly faces on the other side of the table, just to hear me laugh. He had said he never heard me laugh, and was trying his best to make me do so.

I stared at him like he was an idiot as he made a fool of himself.

"Cut it out, Conlon, people are watching," I said with no emotion whatsoever.

Spot shrugged. "Ya gotta laugh, Anomie, so I'll know yer human," he said.

"Haha; happy now?"

"Nearly," Spot joked.

The three of us left the restaurant and headed for the docks.

"So, are ya ticklish?" Spot asked mischievously.

"No," I said. "Are you?"

Spot shrugged. "Dunno, no one evah had da guts ta find out," he said.

"You're full of yourself, Conlon," I said, looking up at him.

"So I've been told," he laughed.

I walked in-between Stephen and Spot as we neared the docks. I glanced over at the Brooklyn ruler and tilted my head confusedly.

"What's that?" I asked.

"What?" Spot said.

I nodded towards the silver key hanging around his neck, and he looked down. He took it up in his fingers and looked at it.

"If I told you, I'd have ta kill ya," he said.

"You can try, but you won't succeed," I told him. "What's the key to?"

"Don't know, honestly," he said. "Some guy sold it to me."

"You bought a key from a man you don't know?" I asked.

"Yeah," Spot shrugged.

"You don't even know what it's to," I told him.

"I know," he said.

"Hey, I'm still here you know," Stephen interrupted us. "You two want to act like I'm alive?"

"No," Spot and I said in unison.

Stephen sighed in defeat and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"What's the cane for?" I asked, returning to asking Spot questions about his odd possessions.

"It's been passed down from leadah to leadah," he explained. "It's a sign of leadership."

"It's a sign of idiocy. Don't you think that the cops are going to think that you stole it?"

"Da bulls ain't gonna botha me 'bout my cane," Spot explained. "Dey is too scared of me."

"This is a messed up place," I said, shaking my head. "Am I the only one not frightened by you?"

Spot glanced down at me and twirled his cane in his fingers. "I suppose," he said. "Am I da only one not scared of you?"

"You're the only one who has enough backbone to even argue with me," I said.

"Well, looks like we have Brooklyn's most terrifying couple," Stephen laughed.

I sent Stephen an icy glare, which shut him up. Spot just laughed and shook his head. "Funny Cromwell, but I have goils lined up for miles to hook up with me. Why would I ever hook up with a goil like Parker?" he asked.

I stopped walking and stared at Spot angrily. "What is that supposed to mean?" I asked venomously.

Stephen and Spot stopped walking, and turned towards me.

"Nothin, I was jus' sayin-"

"You were just saying how much of a jackass you were, and how stupid I was to finally trust you!"

I turned around and began to storm away.

"You're in trouble now," Stephen told Spot.

Spot sent him a glare before running after me. "I didn't mean ta sound like an ass," he said, falling into step beside me.

"Well congratulations, you did!" I exclaimed.

"Wait, why are you upset? Shouldn't you be happy dat I wouldn't wanna be with you?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm overjoyed, but you didn't have to be a jerk about it," I said.

I was getting overworked about nothing, and I didn't know exactly why. I looked back to see that Stephen was long gone to leave me and Spot fighting over something stupid. I turned back, and stopped right in my tracks, which caused Spot to run into me.

"What the?-"

"Shut up," I hissed.

Not too faraway was Erica struggling to get away from that spy I saw earlier. He was talking to someone else, and looked kind of angry.

"She disobeyed the rules," I read his lip movements.

"What's going on?" Spot asked from behind me.

"Shh!" I demanded.

We watched as the man began to pull Erica towards a carriage. Spot gasped and moved forward, but I held my hand up.

"Don't get involved in that," I said. "They're teachers at our school," I lied.

"That's how da teachers treat you?" Spot asked, astonished.

"Eh, if you're bad I guess," I shrugged.

I licked at my lips, debating on whether or not to follow them. As a leader it was my job to keep everyone safe, but then again it was my duty to let everyone fend for themselves. It is a survival school, so shouldn't I let them learn on their own?

I shook my head and sighed as I began to walk towards the carriage. Spot stared at first, and then followed.

"Don't, Conlon!" I said.

"What?" he asked.

"Don't follow me. I have important things to do, and they don't involve being stalked by a self-concerned, dumbass jerk like you!"

Spot raised his eyebrows in amusement and crossed his arms over his chest. "I think yer jealous," he said, smirking.

"Jealous of what?" I asked, also crossing my arms.

"Dat I said I'd pick any goil ovah you," he explained.

"Listen, Conlon, you can pick the ugliest whore over me for all I care. I don't want anything to do with you. I don't want to be close to you, I don't want to talk to you, hell, I don't even want to know you. So don't go saying that I'm jealous."

"What? Too scared ta say dat yer attracted to me?" Spot laughed.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Believe what you want, Spot, but there are some things you'll never understand," I said.

Spot furrowed his eyebrows as I turned around and walked away. I sighed to myself and shook my head. No matter how much I liked someone, I'd never be able to express it. It was a rule of Ned's. I could love someone, but I could never show it.

I made a face at the thought of liking Spot Conlon. He had too much pride, and only thought of himself. You'd think that the girl's would be tired of him by now, but no, they all drop at his feet and kiss his boots.

I followed the carriage all the way to the school, and followed the spy as he pulled Erica out of the carriage and into the building. They stormed into Ned's office, and I pressed my ear to the door.

"What is this?" Ned asked angrily.

"She was with a boy, sir," the spy said. "She was breaking the rules."

"I see," Ned said. "I guess we'll have to punish her then."

I groaned and pushed the door open, and stormed in.

"That won't be necessary," I said walking up to Ned's big, brown desk.

"Anomie," Ned said. "So good of you to join us."

"I demand you let me take Erica's punishment. It isn't her fault she was with him; I was the one who failed to give her your warning."

Ned leaned back in his chair. "It was her mistake, not yours," he said.

"Just let me do it!" I exclaimed.

Ned shrugged. "Alright," he said.

I pressed my lips in a thin line and nodded.

"Anomie, no," Erica said. "You can't."

"I can!"

"But, you already risked your life for Stephen," she said.

"So? I'll do the same for you."

I turned around and began to leave.

"Oh, Anomie," Ned said. "6:00 tonight, be in the dungeons."

**Next Chapter: Anomie is taunted by disturbing voices down in the dungeons where many died. Is the dead really talking to her, or is she losing her mind?**

**Author note: Blah, blah, blah. Whatever.**


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Author note: Yeah, an update, yay.**

I was a bit dazed when I made my way to the dungeons that evening. My mind was spinning, making me sick, and my thoughts were settled on my last visit to the dungeons. I could still smell the dead bodies, and fell the stiffness beneath my fingers.

I shuddered at the mere memory, and wrapped my arms around myself. The man in front of me was in no hurry to get down to the dungeons, but neither was I.

We walked down the hall of the dungeons, and I could hear the screaming of…people?

"What is that?" I asked, looking around.

"How come you kids always ask that before going into the room?" the man asked rudely. "There is no screaming."

I stared at him awkwardly, and jumped when I heard an ear-piercing scream coming from the door to my left. I covered my ears and squinted.

"Who's in there?" I demanded.

"Nobody," the man said. He pulled out a key and opened the door. "See?"

And, sure enough, it was empty. The room was dark, and gave me this kind of cautious feeling.

"What is this?" I asked.

"We call it the room of torture," the man laughed.

"Why?"

"Because, we used to torture people down here a long time ago, and almost all of them died because they 'heard' voices, and drove themselves insane." He sounded amused, and it made me sick. "You're the first to try it out in years."

He handed me a lantern and grinned.

"What am I supposed to do?" I asked.

"Survive until sunup," was all he said as he pushed me through the door.

The door was shut with a slam, and I heard it lock from the other side. I gulped and held the lantern out in front of me. My eyes widened in horror as I examined the walls. There were claw marks, and fingernails embedded into the walls, and I even saw teeth marks.

There was dry red paint – no, blood – here and there. The room was freezing, but that had to be impossible.

I licked at my lips. Out of nowhere came the sound of someone clawing on the wall, and a scared whimper.

"Who's there?" I asked, twirling around instantly.

I held the lantern out to look around, but I was alone. Again came the sound of clawing.

"I said who's there?"

"_Are you scared?" _someone asked.

"What?" I clutched the handle of the lantern and turned around in place, standing exactly in the middle of the room.

"_Are you…frightened?"_

"I'm not afraid of you," I said, my chest rising and falling rapidly.

I listened and heard the sound of something crunching, and the occasional moan. I took in a deep breath and looked around once more, to find that I was still alone.

The crunching came from the corner, and I slowly crept towards it. Nobody was there, but once I got close enough I gasped and jumped backwards.

On the ground lay dead insects, all bitten in half. They looked as if somebody just tried to have a feast, but gave up. I thought the man said it had been years since someone last entered the room.

Something moved from the other side of the room. I turned around and looked, but it was empty.

"Is this part of the punishment?" I asked.

Something now moved from behind me, and I turned around. All of the insects that were just dead were now running around wildly, fully alive.

I stepped back in horror and found myself at the far end of the other room. I slid down the wall and hugged my knees to my chest.

"I'm not losing my mind, I'm not losing my mind, I'm not losing my mind," I said, over and over again.

"_Help me! Somebody help! Help me, please!" _someone screamed.

My head jolted up as I watched a dark figure bang their fists against the wall on the other side of the room. I stared confusedly, and once I blinked the figure disappeared. I rubbed my eyes wildly, and looked again. The room was empty.

I massaged my temples and tried to calm down. My mind was just messing with me, right? Right, and in the morning I'll leave this crazy hole and…and go home?

It was still the weekend, and I was being punished. I silently cursed Erica for being caught, and I cursed Spot for being a jerk.

"Rude jackass," I muttered. "Can't do anything right."

"_Kill him," _came a whisper.

"Kill who?" I asked, waiting for a response.

"_Kill him," _I heard again.

"No," I said. "I'm not a murderer!"

"_Yes you are."_

"No I'm not! Eve is a murderer, not Anomie!" Okay, that wasn't totally true…

"_Kill him…"_

"No! I don't want to kill him!" I exclaimed.

"_Do it…"_

"I won't!"

"_Do it…"_

"Stop it!"

"_Kill him…"_

"Go away!" I rose to my feet and walked to the middle of the room, looking around. The room suddenly got colder.

I stared at the wall for a second to adjust my mind. Without warning someone grabbed my shoulder roughly and I let go of the lantern, and it fell to the floor, shattering, eliminating my only light.

I twirled around to fight, but only punched air.

"Show yourself, coward!" I shouted.

"_Kill them…" _came another whisper. _"Kill them all…"_

"No, I don't want to kill them!"

"_They're taking advantage of you…They're letting you put yourself in danger. Kill them…"_

"I just don't want them to get hurt. I have to do this," I said.

"_They don't care for you; they don't risk everything like you do. Kill them…"_

"But it's illegal."

"_So? You killed the president…"_

"I didn't! Eve did!"

"_You are Eve…Kill them…Eve."_

I dropped to my knees and put my hands over my ears. I closed my eyes shut tightly and shook my head.

"No, stop it!" I screamed.

"_Kill them!"_

"I can't!"

"_Kill them!"_

"Stop it!"

"_Kill them!"_

"No!"

"_Kill them, kill them, kill them-"_

"Shut up!"

The voices suddenly stopped. I lowered my hands from my ears and could only hear the sound of my breathing.

I opened my eyes and looked up. I was alone, still, but something made me feel like there was…an unknown presences.

It was completely dark, and I would've been amazed that my stitches were still in place if I weren't so scared. I never knew that this feeling really existed in me, and I never knew that I would ever go insane.

The next morning they found me huddled up in the corner, rocking back and forth muttering to myself. I was petrified, they said. They didn't know what from, and I was too shaken up to explain what happened. I stayed in the infirmary for the rest of that morning until Stephen and Erica finally came by.

"What happened?" Erica asked the nurse, looking at my frightened figure in one of the beds.

"Don't know really," the nurse said, putting a wet cloth on my head. "Poor thing was frightened to death when they brought her up."

"Anomie...frightened? Are you sure that's Anomie?" Stephen asked.

"Miss Parker? Oh yes, it's her," the nurse said.

Erica and Stephen went to the other side of bed and looked down at me. My eyes were open, and I didn't blink at all.

"What's wrong with her? Is she alive?" Erica asked, pulling the sheets closer to my face.

"Yes, she is alive, but I don't know what's wrong with her."

I finally moved, and all eyes landed on me. "M-make…make sure Spot is alright," I said.

"What?" Stephen asked.

"Get him out of the river," I spoke hoarsely.

I didn't know why, but I had to know he was alright. I had a dream, in that room, and in that dream someone pushed Spot into the river, and he was trapped because he was caught in fish net.

**Next Chapter: Stephen is amazed at how Anomie knew Spot was in the river. She saved his life…**

**IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT EXPECT AN UPDATE TOMORROW. I AM GOING ON AN OVERNIGHT TRIP WITH MY SCHOOL AND WON'T BE BACK UNTIL TUESDAY!**


	22. Chapter Twenty one

**Author note: Well I'm back from my trip, and I'm glad to be back. I missed typing for you a lot, so here's an update.**

Stephen stared down at me oddly and then took off. Erica was too shocked to even move. She stared at me strangely and watched as I returned to not speaking.

I was able to move and talk, and do as I please, I just didn't want to. I wasn't "petrified" or "shocked", I was worried. I was worried because I was almost convinced to kill my friends, and almost convinced that they didn't truly care about me.

I still couldn't get over the feeling of that hand on my shoulder, and the scratching on the wall. I couldn't get over that scared feeling that possessed me entirely. Fear wasn't something I felt often, and I felt beyond fear.

For hours I just laid in the infirmary, thinking of what is happening with Stephen and Spot. I wanted to believe that my dream was just a dream, but it seemed so real that I wasn't sure to believe…

_I walked along the docks, shivering with complete fear. The bandage on my wrist was gone and my number was exposed to the world. The voices were still talking to me as I walked further towards nothing._

_I stopped walking and stared confusedly at a figure looking out at the water, his hands shoved lazily in his pockets. It was Spot._

_It was foggy, and the sun was setting out in the distance. The only thing I could see was him and the dock._

_A dark, bulky figure suddenly appeared out of the fog, and approached an oblivious Spot Conlon. It was a man, I could see that, but he was nothing but a dark figure. He limped steadily towards Spot, his feet not even making the least bit of noise on the docks._

_I crossed my arms over my chest and licked at my lips. The figure slowly disappeared. I flinched in surprise and looked around._

"_Spot?" I said, looking back at the Brooklyn leader._

_Spot slowly turned his head towards me, a relaxed look on his face. "Hey," he said, not even moving out of place. "What are you doin here?"_

_I stayed where I was and looked around. "I don't know," I told him._

_Spot smiled faintly and shrugged. "Cromwell jus' left; said he had ta go see you."_

"_What for?" I asked, taking one step closer. He was still a good distance away._

"_Dunno. He said you were hoit in yer school's hospital," Spot told me. "Why are you here?"_

_I furrowed my eyebrows, but I didn't get to answer him. The figure returned out of the fog, carrying something with him. It looked like a body, but I couldn't tell whose._

_He placed the body onto the dock gently behind Spot, and I stepped back in horror._

"_You alright?" Spot asked._

"Kill him," _a voice said._

"_Stop it!" I said._

"Kill him…"

_I shook my head angrily and closed my eyes tightly. I looked back up in time to watch the figure shove Spot forcefully into the river. I jumped forward and felt his fingertips brush against mine, but I didn't catch him._

_I looked over the side and looked around. Spot didn't resurface. The figure picked up the body and threw it into the river next. He looked at me shortly before turning and walking back into the fog._

"_Spot!" I said, looking down._

_I saw bubbles surface, but no Spot. Right where he had landed was a bundled up fish net…_

I groaned at the memory and found myself rising from bed. Erica was gone, and none of the nurses were around. I pushed the sheets off of my body and rose wobbly.

I quickly pulled on my shoes and walked out of the infirmary, not even telling anybody. I left the building eagerly and walked into Brooklyn. I found myself at the docks in a matter of minutes to find it crowded with newsboys.

"Where is Spot?" I asked one as I approached him.

"Hospital," the boy answered.

I didn't let him finish as I turned around and headed for the hospital. I could still feel my fingertips brushing against his, and the water splashing onto my skin.

I pulled open the door to the hospital and entered with a small run. A nurse slowly past me, and I stopped her right before she disappeared out of sight.

"Spot Conlon?" I asked.

"Over there," she said, pointing.

I turned around and felt relief when I saw Stephen standing beside Blade, and Blade standing beside Spot. I hesitantly walked towards them, and noticed that they were talking to one of the doctors. Spot was fully dried – although his hair looked damp – and held a look of annoyance.

I slowly approached the three boys; their backs turned to me, and smiled slightly.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, making Stephen and Blade jump. Spot just turned around boredly and stared at me.

"Anomie," Stephen said awkwardly. "What are you doing here?" He looked amazed at my sudden "recovery".

"Just dropping by," I said casually with a shrug.

Spot looked back at the doctor with a glare and then walked for the door. I followed after him slowly, and didn't even notice that Stephen and Blade were still talking with the doctor.

Spot walked out of the hospital and stepped out into the slightly crowded streets. I followed, humming to myself, just enjoying the small walk. Spot needed to walk off his anger, so I was letting him.

We walked for hours, just turning corners, and going down random streets. Spot had no intention on trying to lose me. He knew I was there.

After three hours of just walking, me a few feet behind, he finally stopped. He still didn't look at me but spoke. "Thought you were hoit?"

We were in the middle of the street on one of the rich streets, houses lined up. I sat down carelessly on the sidewalk and stared up at him.

"Nah," I said, leaning back.

He finally looked at me, and soon turned to me fully. He slowly sat down beside me and seemed to be thinking.

"Stephen came right aftah I was pushed into da river. Said dat he didn't see who pushed me in."

"Was there a body?" I asked, staring at the house across the street.

Spot looked over at me briefly. "Yeah," he said. "It was one of my newsies."

I sighed shortly. "Sorry to hear."

"Stephen told me…dat you saved me. He said dat you sent him aftah me," Spot said.

I shrugged to myself and pushed a strand of hair out of my eyes. "I just had a dream is all," I said.

"I felt someone's hand trying to catch me," he said.

I snapped my head towards him, wide-eyed. "What?" I asked.

He didn't answer. Instead he pulled my hand towards him and ran his across it gently. I stared at him, shocked and confused.

"Felt like yer hand," he soon answered.

"That's not possible," I said, not even trying to hide the shock in my voice.

"So you were there," Spot said, smirking.

"Not really," I told him. "Only in my dream."

"Why did you try ta save me, anyways? You hate me, remember?"

I furrowed my eyebrows and looked over at him. I had forgotten all about hating him and switched into worry mode. I felt a little surprised at that, actually, because I barely knew him. I don't know if I consider him a friend or ally, or a foe either. What I did know was that I needed to save him.

Spot noticed the sudden change of mood and his smirk deepened.

"I guess I was just being nice," I shrugged. "I had my opportunity to be a hero, so I did it. Nothing changes between us because you're still an ass."

"Out of yer opinion, Anorm," Spot said.

I rolled my eyes. Great, now we were back to going at each other's throats. I sighed inwardly and stared back off at the house across the street. Its shutters were a bright red, which stood out the most. It was a fair house, two-stories high, and had a nice little garden out in the front.

The memory of my mother's garden flashed into my head, and I sadly looked away. I could still smell the freshly picked flowers she always gathered every Sunday morning. The vases she bought were always so beautiful when she put the flowers in them.

I could feel Spot's eyes boring into me, creating a deep hole into me. He looked straight through me, and I was a fool to let him.

"Who are you missin, Parker?" he asked.

"Just leave me alone," I said, rising from the sidewalk.

I began to walk down the empty street, and I could hear Spot following. He appeared at my side, just looking ahead.

"I didn't get ta thank you," he said hesitantly. "For, uh, savin my life."

"It's a constant job for me, Conlon, I don't want your thanks," I said.

"You just won't let anyone in, will you?" he asked.

"What's the use? Everybody just dies in the end anyways," I mumbled.

"Well, dat's why you enjoy da time you have," Spot told me.

"Well not many people I know get to do that," I hissed. "And I don't either."

Spot raised his eyebrows and chuckled. "Only because you won't take da time ta get to know someone."

"Conlon, I'm the worse person to get along with, so why do you keep trying?" I asked.

"You can be a nice person, Anomie, and you know you can. Quit putting a wall between us and jus' let me in. It ain't gonna hoit ta try to be friends with me. I mean, I know you don't want to argue with me all da time, dat's why you saved me."

"And that's why I'm leaving," I said silently.

_I can't get too close, Spot, I just can't. I want to be friends with you, but I can't…I never can… _I thought sadly.

Spot grabbed my arm and made me face him. "I'm glad yer not like da rest of dem goils, Parker. It wouldn't be fun ta mess with ya," he said.

_Just admit it, Conlon, _I thought to myself. _You're growing attached. Just as bad as me._

And that's when it hit me; harder than anything before. I felt fear rise into me, more fear than I ever felt before. Not even the dungeons could make me as scared as I was now. I wanted to hit myself in the head and say: "duh!" The only reason I hated him so much, was to hide from him and myself the truth – I was attracted to him.

I looked over at him in fear and worry. Never in my life did I have to deal with feelings like these, and never in my life did I ever think of loving someone. The only reason he could "feel" my hand was because we were connected. The only reason we argued was because we were too stubborn to look for the truth. The only reason I was mad because of what he said was because I was jealous. All of this lead up to one thing: Spot Conlon made me fall for him in a matter of weeks.

If I were thinking this just a few weeks ago, then I'd laugh so loud that the world would stop and listen. I would've died before admitting to having feelings for this self-concerned boy. Now I didn't wonder why I smiled because of him, and I don't wonder why I fought with Madeline.

Spot looked over at me, and I met his eyes. I found myself chuckling, and then it turned into laughing.

"Are you okay?" he asked. He actually looked quite amused.

"Not exactly," I said, calming myself down.

"Care to explain?" he asked.

I stopped walking, which made Spot stop as well.

_I got too close, _I thought. _And now I'm experiencing feelings I was forbidden to experience._

"I have to go home," I said slowly. "My father wants to start being a father, so I think I have to go..."

Spot furrowed his eyebrows as we continued to walk. "Still hate me, Anorm?"

I smiled at the name "Anorm" and just now realized how cute it was. But I soon frowned just remembering Ned.

"I'm sorry, Spot, but I just can't get close to you," I said.

"Huh?" he asked confusedly.

He looked down at me and his eyes softened. His lips formed into a handsome smile, one in which made me return the favor. I'd probably get punished for just smiling at him, but it was worth it. The punishments were dreadful, but the feeling in my stomach devoured that feeling.

Spot slowly and carefully leaned forward. He stopped every few seconds until his face was mere inches from my own. His breath was warm, and his eyes were mesmerizing.

"Would you hit me if I kissed you?" Spot asked in almost a whisper.

I closed my eyes and let out a small sigh. I slowly pushed down the wall between Spot and I. The rules were still lingering in my mind, and I suddenly didn't care anymore. Nothing Ned could do would ever make this feeling vanish.

"Only if you don't," I whispered back.

I wasn't sure if he heard me because he just stood there, as if debating over this. He then moved forward ever so carefully and the only space between us no longer existed. The feel of his lips made me become weak for the first time ever. I placed my hands onto his chest and moved them to around his neck.

I could feel his hands roaming my back as we stood there in the middle of the street. In the back of my mind I could hear my mother's sweet laughter of joy. I could feel the feeling Erica held for Blade, and I could taste Spot's lips.

I never imagined myself like this. I only concentrated on saving Daniel everyday of my life. I only followed this "love" rule because I thought there wasn't anybody out there for me. I could do just about anything, but I couldn't find my common sense at this time.

It was a lifetime before Spot slowly pulled away, still inches from my face, breathing lightly. I swam back to reality and nearly fell backwards when I realized what I just did. Spot stared at me oddly as he tightened his grip on me.

I could already see Ned's face. I was going to get the punishment of a lifetime. If Erica was supposed to get locked in a room for just being around a boy, what would happen if I was seen kissing one?

**Next Chapter: Anomie is called to Ned's office. It's time for the deadly favor…**

**Author note: Okay, so, this chapter was a bit of a surprise. Do you think I did that too early? I was a bit hesitant about the kiss, I'm not sure if it was the right time.**


	23. Chapter Twenty two

**Author note: Okay, so, yeah, I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter.**

I thought I had dreamt the kiss that day. I left Spot on the street by himself, purposely of course. I didn't sleep well that night either. I still couldn't get that kiss out of my head. I was shocked that I even enjoyed it, and even more shocked that I shared it with Spot Conlon.

I was afraid, though, because Ned's spies have a tendency of following me everywhere, and a dozen of them were bound to see me with Spot. I was a bit afraid, to be honest, of what Ned might do. He didn't send for me that day, so he had something planned on Monday.

As I walked into the school building that morning, I could feel my palms getting sweating, and my heart pounding beneath my chest. Usually I wouldn't be so frightened, but I had a feeling that today wasn't going to end well.

I walked towards the main hall, but was stopped by a tall, skinny looking man.

"Mr. Neeley would like to see you, 101," he said, looking down upon me with disgust.

I had no intentions to object, because whether or not I wanted to go, I had to. I didn't have enough strength to argue anyways, because my head was spinning from remembering the kiss so vividly, and so often.

I followed the man to Ned's office doors, and he soon left. I stared warily at the doors before pushing them open with less force, and entering cautiously. Ned sat behind his desk like he was important, and motioned for me to come in.

I closed the doors behind me and walked towards the desk. I sat down in the familiar chair before the desk and stared at Ned with fake laziness.

"What do you want?" I asked, putting on my best act.

"I'm ready," Ned said, smiling.

"For what?" I asked, sitting back in the chair.

"The favor of course," he said. "You haven't forgotten, have you?"

I shifted uncomfortably in the chair and licked at my lips. "No, I haven't," I said darkly. "So what is it?"

"First, we need to talk about your little rule breaking problem," Ned boomed. "One of my spies reported that you were with a boy yesterday."

"You act like it's a crime," I said with a roll of my eyes.

"It is a crime in this school!" Ned snapped. "I thought I told you to stay away from that boy."

"You're not my father, jackass. Actually, my father doesn't even tell me what to do and neither will you!" I shot back.

"You know the consequence, Anomie," he spoke. "But the favor will also count as your punishment, so it doesn't matter right now."

"I have things to do, old man, hurry up," I said boredly.

Ned reached into one of the drawers in his desk and fumbled around. He pulled something silver and shiny out, and it glared in my eyes. I squinted and turned my head slightly.

"You'll need this," Ned said, holding out a medium sized dagger.

"For what? Skinning you alive?" I joked with a small laugh.

Ned's lips were set in a thin line of seriousness as he walked up to me. He grabbed my hand and pressed the tip of the blade onto my palm. He slowly cut into my flesh and a long line of blood leaked out of the cut. I stared blankly at it as he pulled the dagger away and watched droplets of blood stain his carpet.

"I figured you should be the first to test it out," Ned said.

I grabbed the knife away from him and in a fast motion made another thin cut on my palm, and now the two small wounds were in the shape of an X.

"You might as well mark me," I said dangerously. I let the blood drip down to the floor, and watched as Ned smirked evilly.

"Your mission, _Eve Carter_, is to kill-"

"I am not Eve Carter!" I hissed venomously.

"Eve Carter will kill him, but Anomie Parker will love him," Ned growled.

I stared at Ned in confusion. "Kill who?" I asked slowly.

"It was all part of the plan, Anomie, for you to get close to the boy. And now-"

"I won't kill him," I said through clenched teeth.

"Why, it sounds like you are backing down," Ned said. "We had a deal, Miss Parker. I let your friend live, and you do me a favor."

"You can't do this to me!" I yelled. "You can't make me kill him!"

"You kill him, or your friend dies."

My personal mission: stop Ned Neeley from destroying every last bit of me.

My life or death mission: assassinate Spot Conlon…

"After sunset, Anomie, is when you'll do it," Ned said. "Bring back his corpse. You are dismissed."

I clutched the dagger in my wounded hand and felt my heart sink to the floor. I turned around and left the room in sorrow. Great, I finally find the right guy and now I have to kill him. Why did my life have to be so…ruined?

I hid the dagger in my shoe, and left the building without saying anything to anyone. I couldn't go back to being Eve, not now. Not when everything is finally puzzling out. I was so close to saving Daniel, and now I blew it. I had to go and get close to Spot. So now I had to choose: Erica, or Spot.

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed deeply. I pushed myself through people rudely and carelessly. I could only remember how good I was at ruining everyone's life. I told the boy not to get involved, and look at where he is now. He shouldn't have ever spoken to me, and I shouldn't have ever let him in. Now we both have something to regret.

I walked past some of Brooklyn's newsies, selling the morning newspaper, and could only catch glimpses of what was printed. I only saw fire – dead – family – sorrow as I walked by. I stopped when I saw him standing at a corner, talking to a group of girls and boys.

"Yeah, and den Crow ran away screamin 'cause he's afraid of boids!" Spot laughed.

I looked down in despair and turned to walk the other way, but Spot was quicker.

"Hey, Anomie!" he called.

I turned around, frowning, and watched as Spot left a bunch of jealous girls, and confused boys. He ran up to me, his eyes softly rested upon me.

"Hey," I said in a whisper, looking to the side.

"Where ya headed, Parker?" Spot asked.

"Nowhere," I said, sighing.

"Where's Cromwell and Erica?" he asked, looking around.

"Back at the school, probably," I said.

Spot pulled the cap off his head and took in a deep breath. "It's hot as hell out here, wouldn't you agree?" he asked.

"It's like this everyday."

"Adam, aren't you going to finish your story?" a girl called out to him.

Spot made a face at the name "Adam," and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Maybe anudder time, Mae," he told her.

The girl – known as Mae – flinched in surprise and sent me a rude look. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot.

"Why are you wasting your time with _her_?" she asked impatiently. Mae wore an ugly frilly dress, and had long, dark brown curls.

I narrowed my eyes and stepped forward, but Spot held his hand out. "Don't, Anomie, you might kill 'er," he said with a chuckle.

"That's the plan," I said sharply.

Spot grinned and shook his head. "Quit bein jealous, Mae," he told the girl.

"Yeah, Mae, you're so uptight," another girl laughed, slightly pushing Mae's shoulder.

"I'll change her mind," I said, moving forward only to run into Spot's arm.

He looked down at me, his eyes laughing, and lowered his hand cautiously; ready to snap it back up if I tried to run at Mae.

Mae laughed and "fixed" her hair. "You see, girls, Adam is still protecting me," she said.

Spot raised his eyebrows and looked down at me. "Well, I jus' don't wanna be responsible for yer death," he said.

He smirked and the both of us laughed at Mae's horrid expression. I turned around and began to walk the other way, and Spot followed.

I felt uneasy walking with the guy I was supposed to kill after sunset.

"Anomie," Spot said, catching me off guard.

I looked over at him, to find that he was fidgeting with his hat.

"What?" I asked.

"You don't hate me for yesterday, do you?" he asked.

I licked at my lips and found myself smiling. No, I didn't hate him, and no, I didn't regret kissing him. I only hated myself for the things that will happen today, and I hate Ned for killing my spirit.

"Why would I hate you?" I asked.

Spot still didn't look down at me, but I saw him smile. "I jus' didn't wanna make you mad, is all," he said.

I watched people as we walked by them, giving us odd or dreamy looks. I guess they never saw a boy and a girl walk together before.

Spot stopped walking, as did I, and turned to me. He stared at me for a second, as if trying to read me, but he wasn't getting anywhere.

"You don't have to ask for permission, Conlon, you're a big boy," I said.

Spot smirked and leaned down, and I could feel the weight of his lips on mine. It was quite nice to have somebody to kiss you, but what was even worse was that I had to kill him today, and I didn't want to do that.

**Next Chapter: The day is going by fast, and Anomie must choose whether or not she'll take Spot's life. Will she do it, or will love – something she's never experienced before – stop her?**

**Author note: Well, look out for the next chapter.**


	24. Chapter Twenty three

**Author note: Well, my sis and I have been playing poker all day, so I didn't have time to update, so I'll do that now.**

I could actually feel fear rising into me as it neared 4:00. I spent the whole morning with Spot, and I was still with him. I had to choose – take his life, or Erica's.

Well, I've known Erica longer, and she's been my friend since ever she came to Ned's stupid death school, and I've only known Conlon for a few weeks now. It was hard to believe that I hated him at first, and now I was lip locking with the boy whenever I felt his hand brush mine.

I didn't know how you could choose between your best friend and the boy you think you like. I wouldn't say that "love" describes my feelings, but it was something. I guess it's just this first love thing, nothing big, right?

I hadn't seen or spoken to Stephen, Erica or Cadince the whole day, and I was quite thankful for that. If I did plan on killing Spot, then I wouldn't want any of my friends to appear. This didn't only involve Spot and Erica's lives, but it also involved Daniel's. I knew, somehow, that Ned would drag the poor boy into this.

I was actually quite confused about everything. What was this thing going on between Spot and I, and what would Ned do if I didn't kill Spot?

"You should really get ta know da udder guys," Spot said, dragging me out of my thoughts.

I shifted my eyes over to him. We were sitting in a park; the two of us perched up in a tree, on separate branches. I sat with my legs dangling off the side, but Spot lay back against the trunk, his arms tucked behind his head, looking as relaxed as ever.

"Your newsies?" I asked.

"Mmhmm," Spot answered. "They'll really like ya, but dey'll be scared of yer tough side."

"Scared? Why should they be scared when their leader is not?"

"Because their leadah fears nothin."

I tore apart a twig and looked down at the ground, far beneath me. "Are you afraid of death?" I asked.

Spot looked over at me, a little surprise and a little compassion shining in his river blue eyes. "'Course not," he said. "We'll all die eventually, so why should we be scared of da one thing dat happens everyday?"

I lowered my head once more. "You value your life, don't you?" I ask.

"Who doesn't? I'd die for one of my newsies, and for Cromwell," Spot said. He ran a hand through his hair and smiled. "And you."

I raised my eyebrows, amazed. "You barely know me, why would you die for me?" I asked.

"Hey, we're friends now, right?"

"Right," I said shakily.

"Well, den you count too."

I closed my eyes and imagined Spot taking a bullet for one of his friends. Would he really die for me? Even after I promised to kill him after sunset? _He wouldn't be able to die for you, idiot, he'll be dead because you killed him!_ I yelled at myself.

"Who would you die for, Parker?" Spot asked.

I sighed, and could only see very few people come to mind. "My little brother, Stephen, Cadince, Erica…and you, I suppose. Since we are 'friends.'"

"You have a brotha?" Spot asked, sending me a look of confusion and surprise.

"Yeah," I muttered. "But I never get to see him."

"Why?"

I sighed inwardly and licked at my lips. "Because I'm not allowed to."

"Fattah won't let ya?"

"My father won't let me do anything!" I suddenly snapped. "I wish he'd fall off a cliff and die!"

"Oh, Parker, you don't mean dat."

"Yes I do! You have no idea how much he's ruined me, and neglected me as a daughter. I hate him."

"Yer lucky to even have a fattah," Spot said a bit angrily.

"Yeah, well, you're lucky not to have one. I'd give up everything just to be like you, living out here on the streets, living a life like yours," I said.

"Well, I'd give up everythin to live a life like yours," Spot spat back.

I sent him a dangerous look and narrowed my eyes. "Don't say that. You don't deserve that much pain, I do. I deserve it all."

If only Ned didn't have a way of blackmailing me if I ever ran away. The moment I even try to escape, he'd tell the world about me, and that's what kept me in.

"What is it exactly dat you hate so much 'bout yer life, Anomie?" Spot asked.

"And that's the bad part. I just can't tell you-"

"Why? Why can't you tell me? What is this secret that everyone but me seems to know? Huh?" Spot suddenly asked.

"Maybe if you looked at other people more often, instead of looking at every rich girl that passes by you, then you'd probably understand!"

I pushed myself off the tree and landed steadily on my feet. I had to admit it hurt my feet a little jumping from the tree, but I ignored it. I began to storm off and heard Spot jump out of the tree – or maybe he fell – and he began to run after me.

Spot grabbed my arm and forced me to turn to him.

"Jesus, Parker, calm down!" he exclaimed.

"Oh don't tell me to calm down. How come everyone I know wants me to calm down? Do I look like I want to calm down?"

Spot growled angrily and tightened his grip on my wrist. "Yer so aggravating Parker, and I'm getting tired of it!" he yelled.

"Grow up, Conlon, just grow up!"

Spot looked as if he had the sudden urge to hit me, and raised his hand to do so. But instead of hitting me, he forcefully pulled me towards him and tore at my lips with his. I pushed him away angrily and glared at him.

"I'm not your whore, you ass, so stop trying to win me over by kissing me all the time!" I yelled.

Spot finally lost it, and before I could size up what happened the two of us were rolling down the hill, trying to punch the other. There were small rocks here and there that cut into our skin, but that was the least of our worries. Once we hit flat ground, Spot pinned me, a deadly look in his eyes.

"Yer such a snob!" he told me.

I turned over so I was pinning him and struggled to keep him down. "I'm not a snob, I'm just right!"

Spot forced himself back to pinning me. "Yer not right 'bout anythin! Don't flatter yerself!"

I pinned him again, and this continued until I finally built up enough anger and punched him in the jaw when he was pinning me. He didn't react to this; he just kept a firm grip on my shoulders, and made sure I stayed down.

"Why do you have ta be so different?" he asked furiously.

"I can't help it that I don't want to be like one of your whores," I said through clenched teeth.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way," Spot argued back.

His bangs fell in his eyes, and he had a trickle of blood running down his cheek from being sliced by a rock.

"Well what did you mean?" I asked, trying to push him off, but did not succeed.

"I mean, why do you have to be so poifect?" his eyes suddenly went soft, and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Perfect…?" I repeated.

"Yeah, poifect…"

"What are you talking about?" I suddenly growled. "How can I be perfect when my life is hell, and Satan is manipulating me?"

Spot smirked and chuckled. He _chuckled_! How could he be 'chuckling' after we rolled around in the grass like three-year-olds, fighting over who is snobbier? I was actually too surprised to even notice that there were people walking by, giving us odd looks.

"Parker, do you know how many guys would kill to have a goil like you?" Spot asked.

"Guys want a girl who fights back, who is probably tougher than him, and who has no manners whatsoever?" I asked confusedly.

"Yer not tougher den me," Spot said. "But yeah. You can take care of yerself, and those rich snobs are really annoying."

"Yeah, well, you're annoying. Get off me!"

Spot did no such thing. He actually acted as if he didn't hear my last comment, and surprised the world by gently caressing my lips with his. I was still shocked at how tough he was, and now I was even more shocked when he ignored me!

I kissed him back (surprise, surprise) and ignored the weird looks we were getting. I felt at ease when I kissed Spot, and felt butterflies fluttering about my stomach.

Spot pulled me to my feet, and smirked once more. I didn't know why he smirked so often, but oh well.

"Come on," he said, grabbing my hand in his and leading me away from the park.

I looked out at the sun, and felt a lump in my throat when I noticed that it wasn't long until sunset.

"Spot, I can't, I have to go," I said.

Spot didn't reply, and just kept on walking. I had no choice but to walk with him to the docks. It was empty – nobody around to witness the death of Spot Conlon, except for one man who looked a lot like one of Ned's spies. Hell, it probably was.

I felt as nervous as ever as we walked on the dock, listening to birds flying by above. We stopped near his perch (where Ned's spy was standing) and Spot sat down and hung his legs over the side. I reluctantly joined him, and could feel something wet on my leg. _From rolling down the hill and being cut by the blade in my shoe,_ I reminded myself.

I shivered at the mere thought of the blade and hung my head. The sun was going down, and Spot looked peaceful, even with blood here and there.

_I can't kill him,_ I thought, looking over at him. _He deserves to live more than I do. I should take my own life instead of Spot's…its just better that way._

"Look at da sun," Spot said, nodding towards the big, orange ball in the sky.

I looked out at it, and sighed in misery when it was nearly set. I bent down slightly, and reached for the dagger. I pulled it out, without Spot noticing, and hid it behind my leg. I gulped and kept my gaze on the river below.

"Get out of here, Spot," I whispered.

Spot looked over at me, puzzled, and chuckled. "What?" he asked.

"Just do it," I said.

Spot raised his eyebrows and leaned back slightly. "Gettin tired of me, Parker?" he asked.

"There's no time for jokes, Spot, just go!" I hissed.

Spot cocked an eyebrow as I slowly rose to my feet, the dagger now hidden behind my back, and watched as Spot rose too. I felt something wet hit my cheek, and looked up to watch the dense, threatening clouds burst out into tears. I blinked to get the water out of my eyes, and looked over at Spot.

"What's goin on, Anomie?" he asked.

"Just trust me when I say I'd never hurt you…"

Spot blinked a few times, and I was glad he couldn't see the tears mixing with the rain. He stepped forward and kissed me in the rain, and I can't lie; it's the best feeling anyone will ever experience.

He slowly pulled away and turned around, walking away. I closed my eyes shut and exposed the dagger.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I didn't want to murder you. I didn't want to murder anyone."

I threw the dagger with as much force as I could summon, and the dagger was embedded in his head. He froze in shock and looked at me in surprise. I wiped at the rain and tears on my face and watched him.

He brought his hand up to the dagger, eyes wide, and closed his eyes. The spy dropped dead…

**Next Chapter: Anomie feels broken now that she is a murderer again. Cadince and Jack meet up again.**

**Author note: Well, I hope you liked it. Very genius, no?**


	25. Chapter Twenty Four

**Author note: Thank you for the lovely reviews, and I also wanted to say thanks to those of you who review every time I update, you guys are my heroes.**

I could still remember the look on Ned's face when I arrived without Spot's body. The only thing I brought was a compass – his spy's compass.

"Where is the boy?" Ned asked angrily.

"Somewhere in Brooklyn," I shrugged.

"Why isn't he in here?" he shouted.

"Uh, because outsiders aren't allowed in," I answered.

Ned stood calmly behind his desk, and just stared at me. "You failed to do as you were told, Miss Parker, explain yourself."

"Love didn't stop me, Neeley, pride did," I said importantly.

"How did pride stop you from killing the boy, and not the spy?"

"And that's where the revenge comes in," I said, narrowing my eyes. "I don't love the street boy; I just 'like' him."

Ned sat down in his chair and leaned back. "So, if my spy wasn't watching you, you would've killed Adam?" he asked.

I held my head up and smiled slightly. "No," I told him simply. "I don't kill my friends, only the foes."

"So Eve Carter is back," Ned laughed.

"Eve Carter is dead, and refuses to return. Thus, Anomie Parker is born."

"You still disobeyed me. You remember our little deal, don't you?" Ned asked.

"Of course I do," I answered darkly. "And if you even touch Erica, I won't hesitate to rid of you."

I turned around and left the room, not even glancing back. I knew Ned wouldn't hurt Erica, but he will come up with something else. I didn't want to worry about that now, since I still haven't spoken to my friends in almost a day.

I was sure that Spot had no idea of what happened behind him on the docks. He never turned around, or ran away screaming. Just imagining him doing so made me laugh slightly.

I needed sleep, a true and known fact, but sleep couldn't overcome me at a time like this. It was probably nearing 8:00, so where would my crowd be? A. in mine and Erica's room, B. in the main hall, or C. taking a test. I wouldn't know, because Ned keeps pulling me away in the mornings!

First, I decided to take a little walk to my room. I knocked three times, and got three knocks back.

I opened the door and greeted Stephen, Erica, and Cadince.

"Where have you been all day?" Cadince asked, sitting in a chair, her feet propped up on my bed.

I pushed her feet down and sat down tiredly onto my not so comfortable bed, and stared off into space momentarily.

"Anomie?" Erica said.

I did not stir.

"Anomie?" Erica repeated.

Stephen and Cadince switched odd glances, and shrugged to themselves.

"Anomie?" Erica shouted.

"What?" I asked, looking over at her.

She blinked a few times, and then smiled warmly. "You never answered Cadince's question," she said.

"Oh, I was out in Brooklyn," I said, looking over at Cadince.

"Well, you missed the big fight today!" Stephen exclaimed excitedly.

"What big fight?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

"You see, there was this girl – Amber I think – and she was walking from the main hall and ran into Rachel, who didn't like that at all. So Rachel shoved her, and Amber fell to the ground, and was really angry! And the next thing you know they're rolling on the floor, hitting each other! There was blood everywhere; I swear I thought one would die!" Cadince said.

I got up angrily and stormed out the door. If there was something that really boiled my blood it was my people fighting.

I dragged Amber and Rachel out of their rooms, and shooed away the stragglers who wanted to watch their leader explode at two foolish girls.

I pushed the two against the wall roughly and looked at each angrily.

"Explain," I said, folding my arms over my chest.

Rachel sent Amber a dirty look and flipped her hair behind her shoulder. "She ran into me!" she said.

"No I didn't! I didn't see you, it was an accident!" Amber shot back.

The two girls had cuts and bruises here and there, and now I wished that I were here to at least see some of the fight.

"I don't care who started the fight, you know damn well that you're not supposed to fight another student of this school!" I hissed.

Rachel gulped in fear and examined her shoes. "I was just defending myself," she muttered.

I shot my fiery gaze towards her. "You don't solve your problems by fighting each other, you come to me," I said.

"But you fight the other students," Amber bravely spoke up.

"That's different. I have no intentions on starting fights. Don't question my actions!"

Amber licked at her lips and nodded.

"Now you two know that the 'students' here suffer a great deal of pain. They don't need anyone else making their lives even more miserable. You probably frightened the new kids, which is even worse," I said.

"How do you always manage to survive?" Rachel asked, looking depressed. "I don't think I'll be able to survive the next test."

"Everybody has something to live for, so find your something," I said calmly. "Just don't fight each other anymore."

"Alright," Amber said, nodding.

Rachel nodded as well, and smiled slightly.

"Now apologize," I ordered.

I watched the girls exchange apologies and dismissed them. I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. I did fight the other students, but I was their leader, I didn't count.

I walked back to my room, and stopped just outside the door. There was a letter, sticking to the wood of our smallish sized door. I ripped it off and read over the sloppy scribbles, which were supposed to form 'coherent' sentences.

"We herby raise our glasses for a toast to Mr. Ned Neeley for his amazing accomplishments of his wonderful and very educated school," I read aloud. Yeah right, real educated… "We invite all of the students and staff to a grand party in the main hall, this Friday at 6 p.m. Casual wear. Sign, Mr. Davis Birmingham."

I scowled down at the piece of paper. Staff, yeah right, those men and women walking around are just a bunch of Ned's damned lackeys, and some are even his spies. I opened the door and stepped in, immediately shoving the note into Stephen's face.

"What's this?" he asked, looking over it.

"An invitation to the most ridiculous reason for a party," I grunted.

Stephen read it out loud so Cadince and Erica could hear, and the three of them burst out laughing.

"Accomplishments?" Cadince laughed. "Accomplishments of what? Murdering kids?"

"Precisely," I said, sitting down lazily on the window sill.

"Do we have to go?" Erica asked, swinging her feet off the side of the bed.

I shrugged, staring out the window. "We probably won't have an option, even if it is a lousy invitation," I said.

Stephen stood up and sighed deeply. "Do you think its some kind of test?" he asked. "For all of the students?"

"And what would Ned plan to do? Have his men take out the students and see who survives?" I snapped.

Stephen shrugged, and yawned. "Well, I'm going off to bed, night girls," he said.

Cadince left soon after, leaving me and Erica thinking amongst ourselves. As I lay in bed, listening to the rain beating for entrance against the window, I imagined the spy dying over and over again. Did he have a family? Kids? Parents?

I remembered pushing his body into the river, after taking his compass, and watched it sink to the bottom, thanks to the few bricks I tied to his body. It wasn't fair that he died, but the blame was on me. Eve Carter was inching back to life with every breath Anomie Parker, the insane murderer, took. And now that Eve's blood was pumping through my veins, and now that I have reached to her low level, I thirsted for revenge.

The next morning I awoke with a sudden jolt, and found myself lying flat on my face on the floor. I didn't remember dreaming, and I didn't even know why I ended up down here. Erica was wide awake now, laughing down at me.

"Are you okay, Nomes?" she asked, pushing the sheets off her body and rising from the bed.

I rose from the ground cautiously and rubbed my head. "I'm alright," I said, glaring at the wall.

Erica laughed all the way to the washroom, all the way through announcements, and all the way to Joy's diner.

"Erica!" Cadince finally cracked. "That's enough! You're making me crazy!"

Stephen chuckled as Erica slid down her chair, hiding her fear. I laughed slightly and shook my head, looking down at the menu that I've remembered so vividly, but only used one to aggravate the waiter.

I looked up when I heard that little bell go off, a sign that someone is entering, and couldn't keep from smiling as I watched Brooklyn's most fearless leader walk up to our table.

"Cromwell," he said, shaking hands with Stephen, acting as if the rest of us weren't even there. I didn't want him to get all soft on me around my friends, so I knew he was only playing along.

He pulled up a chair from another table and sat down between Stephen and I, smirking like usual. I went back to studying the menu, not really even reading any of the words.

"Nomes, do you have any money to spare?" Erica asked, her eyes pleading me. "My dad didn't have enough to give me for the week."

"Of course," I said, with a nod.

The waiter came and went quickly, to avoid being teased. As usual I ordered a coffee, as did Spot Cadince and Erica, and Stephen ordered a big breakfast. Stephen could eat a whole feast by himself and still not gain one pound. But he loved to eat.

I didn't have my menu to keep me preoccupied, so I balanced my chin on my hand and stared carelessly at the door, watching people come and go. Oh, how much I wanted to rip that little bell off and throw it in the bottom of the ocean!

Spot ignored me as he talked with Stephen, laughing like a child, and telling random 'rude' jokes. That little bell _dinged _once more, and my blood was boiling from listening to it so much.

Jack Kelly, also known as "Cowboy" walked in, accompanied by a curly haired boy, and a little one.

"Jacky-boy," Spot said, spitting into his hand, and shaking with Jack. He did the same with the other boy, and nudged the little boy playfully. If you thought our table couldn't get any bigger, you were wrong. The three boys pulled up chairs and we made room for them.

"Hey Cadince," Jack said, grinning.

He remembered her name? That can't be a good sign.

"Hey," Cadince said, shaking his hand.

"Who are your friends, Jack?" I asked, nodding towards the other boys.

"Oh, dis is David, and his little brotha Les," he said, pointing to each boy. "David, Les, dis is Cadince and Anomie, you already know Stephen and Erica."

The little one – Les – smiled brightly, holding onto his wooden sword, and tipped his hat. "Nice to meetcha," he said, using a small New York accent.

Cadince grinned – she loved adorable kids – and greeted him. "Hey kid," she said.

"So Spot, has Queens been giving you any problems lately?" curly asked.

Spot said back in his chair, propping his feet up on the table, and answered, "Brooklyn scared dem scabs, nobody messes with da best of New York."

Jack grinned. "Yer next ta Manhattan, Conlon," he said.

Spot sent him a glare and snorted. "Brooklyn is numba one, Kelly. Don't forget it."

Jack laughed, shaking his head, and settled his eyes upon Cadince briefly. He was interested in her, and it was against all the rules. Hell, I was told to kill the guy I fell for; I wonder what Ned would make Cadince do to Jack…

The two of them began to talk, ignoring us, acting as if we never existed. I looked around to see if any of Ned's spies were watching, and seen none, except for a girl walking through the door. She wore a long, frilly expensive dress, and had light brown hair.

She placed her hands on her hips and looked around, standing out in the non-formal crowd. Here eyes landed on our table and she smiled to herself. She flipped her hair behind her shoulder and swayed her hips as she walked towards us, attracting some attention to herself from random guys.

She stopped, and smiled down at Brooklyn's very own master, who didn't seem to notice her until the waiter left after bringing our orders.

He looked up at her questioningly, and then he looked as if a light bulb turned on in his head.

"Cilia," he said, pulling his cap off and fidgeting with it.

"You look surprised, Adam, didn't you ask me to meet you here?" she said, her voice making me cringe. How could someone's voice be so high pitched and ear piercing?

"Yeah, I did," he said, motioning for her to pull up a chair.

She did as she was told and sat down between me and Spot, looking at everybody weirdly.

"I thought we were going to do business alone," she said, giving him an odd look.

Spot's eyes went wide and looked over at me, but I looked away, biting my bottom lip. Now I was confused. Totally and utterly confused. I picked at the bandage on my wrist to keep me preoccupied as I tried to seem as if I didn't mind. I didn't, right? Spot and I were only friends…who kissed about a million times.

Jack and Cadince were still engaged in a friendly conversation that didn't involve any of us, and Erica was sipping her coffee, exchanging a few words with David and Les.

She looked over at me and smiled slightly. "You aren't drinking your coffee," she said, looking down at my cup.

"I don't feel like drinking it," I said disgustedly, keeping my mind and eyes away from Spot's guilty face. High-pitched girl was speaking to him, giggling here and there. I paid them no attention…

But I looked anyways. Cilia had her back turned to me, touching Spot's hand. I nearly fell out of my chair when she attacked his lips with hers, and Erica looked at me oddly. Spot pulled away, surprised, and gave Cilia an odd look.

She continued to talk to him, like we weren't there (hey, everyone else was doing it).

"You should eat, Nomie," Erica said, looking at me worriedly. I must've looked sick, because my eyes were getting ready to pop out, and I was frowning.

I looked over at Erica and shrugged. "I get enough food at my father's house," I said.

I found myself looking back over at Spot, and his face was…relaxed, and he wasn't trying to pry Cilia away from him. Wow, reality hurts. I blinked a few times, and looked up at the ceiling. Oh how interesting it was…

Stephen filled his mouth with the contents on his plate, and greedily swallowed it down. I finally got irritated with everyone and rose from the table.

"I have to go pay a visit to a friend of mine," I announced, laying down enough coins to pay for mine and Erica's drinks.

"Who?" Stephen asked before spooning eggs into his mouth.

"I need some info on my girls – Amber and Rachel – so I'm going to go talk to Trey," I said, ignoring Spot's eyes.

I walked towards the door, biting my lip once more, and dared myself to look back. I only glanced long enough to watch Jack and Cadince laugh at something, and walked out the door.

I guess you can't always win, because if you did, then the world would be a much more peaceful place.

**Next Chapter: Anomie is horrified at what Ned has planned for her punishment. He actually has the guts to torture Daniel in front of her?**

**Author note: Okay, this took forever to get out, and I'm sorry.**

**IMPORTANT NOTE, MUST READ: Okay, so, I probably won't get to post tomorrow because I'm going to a parade tomorrow for Kellie Pickler because I live in Albemarle, NC…and I like parades…and I voted for Kellie…and if you bash her in front of me, I'll kill you, just ask my friends.**


	26. Chapter Twenty Five

**Author note: Well, you probably noticed my lack of updating lately. It's not that I don't want to write, it's just very difficult to write this type of story. It's hard to sit here and think of situations for this story, and then write it out to make sense. So, I hope you understand, and enjoy.**

I walked all around Brooklyn for hours and hours, turning in and out of allies and up and down streets over and over again. Wasting time was a habit of mine, because in spare time there was much that I would need that I couldn't get. If only I could possess the freedom I deserved, then the deep hatred inside of me could subside and vanish forever.

But to me, that was only a dream. I wasn't lucky enough for that. I was 'too young' to respect anything and everything, and teenagers such as myself were only naïve. Children never got credit for anything, and it was rubbish that adults looked upon as insolent fools who merely got in the way.

They just wouldn't understand the pain and courage it took to wake up each and every day and face the world. Hell, they couldn't handle it. They spend all their time counting their cash and showing off their fancy new clothes to even notice the starving children on the streets. Selfish could only describe each and every person I passed each day…everyone except us…the deserted ones.

I could never define a broken heart until today. And wow…it really hurt. I wanted to slap myself for always laughing at women crying or hanging their head because their heart was torn in two, because right now I was apart of that crowd.

"Good going Anomie, you really let yourself go. Wouldn't mother be proud," I said under my breath as I flopped down on a bench, sitting right outside a bakery.

"If you ask me, I don't think anyone will be proud of a frowning young lady," someone said.

I looked over at the old lady sitting beside me and snorted. "What do you know? My life is screwed."

The old lady smiled and looked up at the sky. "And do you know why it's that way?" she asked.

"Because of everyone and everything," I muttered.

"No, dear, it's because you've given up," she said, looking at me intently.

"What?" I asked, giving her an odd look.

"Sweetheart, look at yourself, you are giving up on life, on your friends, and on love," she said in almost the sweetest melody I've ever heard.

"How would you know? Have you been following me?" I asked, looking around cautiously.

"Oh, deary, you are being fooled. You've been manipulated and hurt, and for what advantage, hmm?"

"What are you talking about, old woman?" I asked confusedly.

She grabbed my arm and showed me my bandaged wrist. "You and I, young lady, are more alike than you'll ever believe," she said.

She pulled on her sleeve and showed me her saggy skin. But, as clear as day, a scar stood out in the shape of "23".

"No way," I whispered, running my fingers over the number. "That's impossible, Ned came up with the school, how could you have-?" I stopped talking and stared into her brown eyes.

"Like I said, dear, you were fooled," she said, rising from the bench.

"You mean-?"

"Ned Neeley isn't the creator? Oh, of course not. He himself was a student at a school like that in his young days. Things have changed of course, and now a new school was built here in Brooklyn and the numbers have started over. It's very rare to come across old survivors, though," she laughed.

"But I don't get it," I said, looking up at her.

"Oh, you don't need to understand, child. You just can't give up. I almost did, and if I didn't push myself that night, I wouldn't be here today."

I looked down, staring at the bandage around my wrist, and when I looked back up she was gone. I looked around confusedly, wondering if I imagined that whole conversation.

"Anomie!" I heard someone scream.

I looked to my right and watched as Stephen ran up to me. "Nomes, I've been looking everywhere for you, why did you leave?"

"No time, we have work to do," I said, jumping from the bench and grabbing his arm.

We gathered up the rest of our group and went back to the school. We locked ourselves in mine and Erica's room, and covered up the window, leaving us in the darkness, with a burning candle.

"So what you're saying is that Ned was a student once too?" Cadince asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Exactly, and now we have to abolish his plan," I said, scribbling down on a piece of parchment.

"And how are we going to do that?" Erica asked, glancing over at Stephen who merely shrugged.

"You leave all that up to me," I said slyly, smiling down at the piece of paper. "I have a job for all of us…"

I explained to my friends what I planned to do, and what we needed to find out. Of course we needed to know what Ned's next move was, and if we didn't find out then we couldn't battle it out. This was it; it was time to finally get Ned at his own game. Fool him when he thinks he has us. It was time to break free of this prison, and it was all up to me. Everyone was counting on me, and I wasn't going to let them down.

"Anomie Parker," a voice boomed, making me jolt awake from a deep, dreamless sleep.

"What?" I asked groggily, remembering how late I stayed up, planning everything out.

"You are needed in the headmaster's office immediately."

I held in the urge to thrust my pillow in his direction. I rose from bed and shooed the man out as I got dressed. Waking early was hell, but that's not the point.

I walked to Ned's office, blinking rapidly to keep my eyes open, and to fix the blurriness of my vision. I didn't feel the need to knock, so instead I pushed the door open and stumbled in.

"Anomie," Ned said, sipping on a cup of coffee. "Just in time."

_Bastard_, I thought. _Just wait until I humiliate you in front of everyone who thinks you are so superior._

I plopped down in the chair before his desk and squinted my eyes towards his wrist. His sleeve was covering his flesh, so I couldn't see any marked number.

"What do you want, peace-ruiner?" I asked.

"I believe you owe me from the favor," Ned explained. "So I've decided on a punishment."

He didn't talk any further. He just escorted me to a room, and locked it behind me. I wasn't in the dungeons, somewhere else on the highest floor. I looked around, examining every wall, every corner, and every inch of the room.

The door once again opened and I was thrust in a chair, and felt the pressure of ropes slicing into my flesh; around my ankles and my wrists. A cloth was tied around my mouth to keep me quiet, and I looked around confusedly.

"Do you think the ropes'll hold her?" a man asked another.

The other man shrugged. "Who knows? It ain't my problem."

They both walked out, and yet, another man walked in, accompanied by a little blonde boy.

"Danfekhil," I tried to say through the cloth.

Daniel looked up at two, big men, frightened. He wiped at the sweat dripping down his forehead and gulped.

I saw horror before my eyes. The men laughed and joked as they beat up my little brother. I struggled endlessly against the ropes, screaming beneath the cloth with pure hatred.

Daniel, being just a small child, was thrown around and hit several times by each man. But he was strong, and shed no tears like I thought he would, and he barely screamed or whimpered, like he knew what was coming.

I pulled and pulled on the ropes for dear life – for Daniel's life. Ned would pay, oh he better believe he'll never get away with this.

It didn't last long, but in my eyes it lasted for an eternity. They hauled Daniel's fragile body away to an unknown location, and untied me from the chair. I jumped up so quickly the man untying me fell to the floor, and the man guarding the door was too surprised to even catch me as I zoomed out of the room and straight for Ned's office.

But, unfortunately, I was tackled to the ground by a man the size of a mountain, and had the air knocked out of me.

"Stay still!" he demanded.

Something sharp was impaled in my arm, and I suddenly went calm. The man rose off my body and stared down at me, holding a needle in his hand. A needle…what the?

The man's body blurred up, and my eyes closed instantly, and I saw nothing but pure darkness.

When I finally woke up, I found myself alone in my room, lying down on my bed. I could still remember what happened this morning, and it happened so quickly I thought the world was in fast forward.

When I walked out into Brooklyn, I felt queasy just as the air filled my lungs and I exhaled quickly. What was happening to me?

I ignored the strangeness of my mood and actions, and resumed walking towards, well, I wasn't sure where I was headed. I just needed a nice, long, undisturbed walk.

I couldn't quite tell where I was going, actually, since my mind was so jumbled up in a web of tangles and confusion. I couldn't find the anger in me, but I still held a huge grudge against the world and its players. No matter how much it tried to please me, it'll never get the upper hand.

I past Joy's Diner, and only glanced in to see my crowd along with Spot's, laughing and having a good time. I, on the other hand, felt miserable, yet 'calm' at the same time. Whatever it was that man put in me, made me feel drowsy and depressed, and mostly left out, and calm at the same time.

I must've caught someone's eye as I passed, because within seconds, as I rounded the corner, my name was being called from a distance.

"Anomie!" I heard.

I blinked when my surroundings threatened to blur up, and turned around, nearly knocking the person calling my name down.

"Careful," Spot – or maybe it was Stephen – said.

I stepped back, almost as if I were drunk, and examined who was before me. Yup, it was Spot Conlon alright; back to make my insides boil to a point.

"What do you want?" I asked, not sounding the way I felt.

"I just need ta talk to you," he explained.

"Oh yeah? Well, I have better things to worry about and better people to see," I lied, turning to leave.

Spot sighed and turned me towards him. "What you saw yesterday isn't what you think," he said.

"Isn't that what all guys say?" I asked, even though I didn't know a damn thing about boys.

"Mostly," Spot said, looking down. "Listen, that goil you saw, I didn't hire her to uh, you know. I actually scheduled a meeting with Queens' leadah, but he canceled, and sent Cilia, his sistah, ta talk with me, and I asked 'er ta meet me at da diner."

"Uh-huh," I said as if I didn't believe him, even though I did.

"I didn't know she was goin ta kiss me, honest, and I didn't mean ta look guilty, I jus' didn't want you ta think I was dat type a guy, ya know?"

"Yeah, sure, if you say so," I said, feeling queasy yet again.

Spot sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I swear, Anomie, dat goil meant nothin ta me," he said.

I wanted to sleep so badly that I barely caught his last sentence.

"You know, I'm not myself today, so I'm just going to say to hell with it and goodbye," I muttered.

"No," Spot said, grabbing my arm. "You still don't believe me, do you?"

I put my hand on Spot's shoulder to keep my balance and looked down at the blurry sidewalk.

"I do believe you," I said. "I just don't feel well…"

Spot raised his eyebrows and licked at his lips. "You gonna be alright?" he asked.

I didn't answer him. I just fell forward, nearly knocking the both of us down, but Spot caught us before we went down. I, on the other hand, was nearly out, and could barely feel Spot picking me up off my feet. My legs were completely paralyzed. I couldn't move them, or feel a thing.

Great, just when I thought things were getting better they tumble down the hill and just get worse. Can my life become anymore complicated?

**Next Chapter: What is Anomie going to do when she can't even walk? Is this temporary, or is she living like this forever? What was that stuff the man injected her with? So many questions to reveal, in such little time.**

**Author note: Okay, so I made up that little needle crap up there, just play along. This is like a mastermind school, so expect some odd stuff coming up. In other words, read, enjoy, and review.**


	27. Chapter Twenty Six

**Author note: Thank you for my many, many reviews – you people rock! And just because you rock I'm going to bake you a cake. A good cake, with a lot of sugary goodness on top, and in the middle, and everywhere! So, while you eat your sugary cake, enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review!**

I felt like I was flying – literally. I opened my eyes slightly, but not enough to see anything. There was an odd aroma in the air – it smelt a little like cigar smoke and soap, and for some reason I found it refreshing.

"Is she dead?" I heard someone say.

"No, she isn't dead you idiot!" a familiar voice said.

I groaned, and opened my eyes fully, only to find five awkward looking boys surrounding my bed, one being very familiar.

I looked at them weirdly, raising my eyebrows in the process.

"How ya feelin, Anomie?" Blade asked.

"Confused," I said dully sitting up in a rather comfortable bed. "Where am I?"

"Newsboys Lodging House," Blade said, grinning.

"And who are they?" I asked, looking at the other boys.

"Oh, dis is Skips, Ducky, Rocky, and Patch," Blade said, pointing off each boy.

I blinked at the odd names given to the odd looking boys, and shrugged it off. What happened? All I could remember was seeing Daniel being beat up over and over again, non-stop. I remembered being stabbed with some kind of needle that made me feel awkward, and now...now I couldn't feel my legs!

I tried moving them, but did not succeed.

"You okay, Anomie?" Blade asked, cocking an eyebrow at the horror written on my face.

"What're you bums doin in heah?" a calm, yet dangerous voice asked.

I brought my eyes to the doorway, and stared at a lying, conniving bastard.

"Hey Spot, yer friends awake," the blonde boy – Ducky? – pointed out.

"I ain't blind, kid, I can see dat," Spot said, making the younger boy look away in fear. "Now get lost ya scabs."

The boys obeyed their leader and walked towards the door. Spot gave them a stern look, which sent Ducky off running. As soon as all the boys were gone, Spot closed the door and walked towards the bunk.

I was impressed with the room, actually. There were rows and rows of bunks lined up, but they were poorly made. Some sheets were ripped off halfway, and some of the pillows were losing their 'fluff'.

Spot stood beside the bunk, looking down at me with a look I couldn't describe.

"Wanna explain yerself," he suddenly said, sitting on the bunk next to the one I was in.

"Explain what?" I asked darkly, sending him a look of hatred.

"Why you were so drunk," Spot said like it was obvious.

"Drunk?" I asked, giving him an odd yet amused look.

"Yeah, ya know when someone drinks so much dey lose their common sense and parading around like an idiot," Spot explained.

"I don't drink," I spat angrily. "And besides, I don't have any reasons to drink. Other than the fact that I'm wasting my time hanging around a jerk."

"Fine, if ya don't want my help den jus' leave," he said, waving his hand towards the door. "See if I care."

I blinked a few times, and looked down. "I can't," I said, ashamed that I was admitting something to him.

Spot chuckled and threw his hat aside. "Ya see, no goil can resist me," he said.

I shot my head up instantly and sent him a deadly glare. "I can't leave because I can't move my legs, genius!" I snapped. "And besides, any girl who falls for you is a fool!"

Spot furrowed his eyebrows. "I guess yer a fool den," he said. "Now why can't ya move yer legs?"

I narrowed my eyes angrily and looked him in the eyes. "I'd drop dead before I ever fall for you, Conlon. You can bet on that," I told him.

"Well sweetheart, welcome ta heaven."

If only I could move my legs I would've attacked him – physically, not sexually.

"Can you stop talking about yourself for at least a few minutes?" I hissed. "You have the oddest obsession with yourself, and its driving me crazy!"

"Hey, yer da one who won't leave," Spot shrugged.

"Because my legs are paralyzed!" I groaned angrily, and shook my head. "You know what, just forget it. If you can keep your hands off a girl for just ten minutes and go fetch Stephen, I'd be satisfied."

"You still don't believe me?" Spot asked, rolling his eyes.

"Why should I? And to add to that, why should I care? Sleep with any girl you want, as long as you stay away from me," I said.

"Hey, I already told you, I had a meeting with 'er!" Spot exclaimed.

"I don't want details," I said, glaring daggers at him.

Spot smirked and shook his head. "Yer stubborn, Anomie, jus' too damn stubborn."

"Why thank you for that lovely compliment…Now go get Stephen!"

"No," Spot said gradually.

"You're an ass, you know that? A real ass," I told him.

Spot shrugged lazily and ran his fingers through his hair. "Well darlin, you gotta find a way outta dat bed, cause I need somewhere ta sleep tonight," he said, rising from the other bunk.

"This is your bed?" I nearly screamed.

"Did I stutter?"

I would've jumped up in disgust, but my legs were still paralyzed.

"Catch ya latah, sweetheart," Spot said, walking out of the room, pulling his cap onto his head.

I groaned loudly and stared at the bunks along the other side of the wall. How dare he just leave me here! Oh, just wait until I can walk again, that boy is going to die.

I sat there for hours and hours, just staring at the bottom of the bunk above Spot's. How did he suddenly get the upper hand? He left me in a room on my own, and just…well…left.

It sucked not being able to walk. It was very…depressing. Just like the sweet memories of my mother…

"_Mommy, can I have this one?" I asked, holding up a crisp, deep brown cookie._

"_Yes you can," my mother said, planting a sweet and loving kiss upon my head._

_I giggled and bit into the cookie, feeling the warm and delicious taste melt in my mouth. Oh how I adored Sunday baking at my grandpa's bakery. Nothing beat spending the afternoon in the bakery, baking endless amounts of cookies with mother and Grandpa Joe._

_I lived in a country-like town somewhere in Georgia. The townsfolk had the strangest accents – true southerners my mother called them. Some of the most stubborn people known to man, yet, they really liked coming to Grandpa Joe's bakery._

_The front door opened, and I peaked over the counter to get a good look at a man who wore a dark brown cowboy hat. I stared in awe at the hat, of its beauty and size._

"_What can I do for you?" Grandpa Joe asked._

_I looked up at my gray-haired grandfather and grinned to myself. He had a funny accent, too._

"_How 'bout some of those delicious Sunday cookies your lovely daughter always makes," the man said, sounding like a real cowboy._

"_Well I don't know about being lovely, but I'm positive that you'll find these to your liking," mother said, walking in from the back, carrying a bag of cookies to the man._

_I was confused when I saw the look in my mother's eyes when the cowboy man walked into the bakery. She always blushed and pulled at her clothes, smiling to herself._

"_Heya kid," the cowboy said, rubbing my head._

_I laughed and hid behind Grandpa Joe's leg, peaking around to see if the man had left yet. He merely chuckled and paid for the cookies._

"_I'll see ya 'round, Mrs. Carter," he said, tipping his hat while walking out the door._

The door opened and I jumped out of my memory, and watched cautiously as a certain jackass walked in.

"Still ain't left yet, eh?" Spot said, pulling down his suspenders.

He threw his cap down on my – his – bed, and sat down by my feet. He bent over and untied his boots, pulling them off and then pushing them aside.

"What are you doing?" I asked, giving him an odd look.

"I'm 'bout ta wash up," he said as if it didn't really matter he was undressing in front of a girl.

"Do it in the washroom!" I demanded.

"Well, where else would you wash up?" Spot asked, unbuttoning his shirt.

"No, I mean get undressed in the washroom, Einstein!"

"Well, if you'd of left like I told you too-"

"Oh stop it! How in the hell am I supposed to leave, huh?" I asked.

Spot shrugged. "Beats me," he said. "But den again, dat ain't my problem."

He walked into a door to my right, which I assumed was the washroom.

I sighed and beat my head against the wall. "Someone just kill me!" I pleaded.

"Yer gonna get a headache!" I heard Spot shout from the washroom.

"You are a headache!" I shouted back.

This was going to be a long day…or night, whichever suits me.

**Next Chapter: Hasn't been thought up yet, so let's all be surprised. It may have to do with Anomie's legs working again. Who knows?**

**Author note: Okay, this wasn't very long, but oh well.**


	28. Chapter Twenty Seven

**Author note: Hello everybody, thanks for the nice reviews, I really appreciate the encouragement.**

The sun was setting off in the distance, and supported little light in the boy's room at the Brooklyn Lodging House. Spot had, once again, left me alone in the room to 'take care of business' and said that I'd better be gone by the time he's back.

The boy was a demon; a psychotically, evil, self-concerned demon. And a very attractive demon, I'd give him that. Nobody came into the room, leaving me alone with nothing to do or anybody to talk to.

"Stupid Conlon," I said under my breath. "Just leaves someone here like he's all high and mighty. He's probably out with some prostitute right now as I speak…to myself."

It felt awkward talking to myself in an almost-dark room, just staring blankly ahead. From time to time I'd hum to myself for my own entertainment whenever boredom struck, leaving me to soak in the dullness of my life. How wonderful. The idiot of all leaders beat me…beat me harder than ever. Jackass.

The door creaked open slowly, and I looked towards it cautiously. Someone entered, but it was now too dark to see. Whoever it was walked to the side of my – Spot's – bunk and turned on the oil lamp.

"Well if it isn't Brooklyn's very own jerk," I said, glaring intensely at Spot Conlon.

"Cut da sarcasm, Parker, why're you still heah?" Spot asked.

"I. Can't. Walk. Hard to understand?"

Spot cocked an eyebrow, studying me closely. "Yer story's heartbreakin, doll, but ridiculous."

"Do whatever you please to my legs, Conlon. I won't feel a thing," I told him. "Besides, it wouldn't hurt you one bit to cause me the least bit of pain. Only the cruelest person would leave a paralyzed girl in a room by herself half of the day."

"Funny," Spot said, not even showing humor. "Now go back to yer rich school with yer rich friends, and talk 'bout how rich you are."

I narrowed my eyes angrily and felt my blood boil. "So this is the real Spot Conlon? He doesn't have everything he wants, so he has to be rude to the people who deserve it," I commented.

Spot just stared at me intently, light barely shining on his face. He pulled the sheets off of my body and ran his hand down my leg. "Feel anythin?" he asked.

"I feel awkward," I said, looking down at my legs.

Spot pulled his cane out of his belt loop and tapped my shin with it. He gave me a questioning look and I merely shook my head. Spot nodded and sighed. He did the same to my other leg, and came out with the same results.

"Hmmm, I wonder if it'd hurt if you chopped my legs off," I thought out loud.

"Don't think it'd mattah," Spot said. "Looks like you ain't gonna be walkin for awhile."

"How long is awhile?" I sighed.

"Depends on da outcome," was all he said.

"Well I'm not staying here," I told him.

"Fine, I'll go fetch Cromwell," Spot said, moving to leave.

"Don't even bother. He's already back at the school, and you're not allowed in."

"Den where ya gonna go?"

I must've lost my mind, because within minutes Spot Conlon was carrying me in his arms down the sidewalk, heading towards a familiar three-story house.

"Is anyone home?" Spot asked me as we walked up the steps to the door.

"Probably not," I said.

Spot reached out and turned the knob, pushing the door open and closing it behind him. He wrinkled his eyebrows once he entered the house. I knew this wasn't the first time he's entered a house like this, but I had to admit my father's house was…odd.

A maid hurried into the foyer and nearly jumped ten feet into the air when she saw us.

"Miss Anomie," she said, taking in a deep breath. She looked at us in confusion. "What is this?"

"Where's Christopher?" I asked like I was still superior.

"Him and the mistress are out for awhile, Miss," the maid said.

"Good, they can stay out," I said.

I ordered Spot towards the stairs, and he quickly began to climb. "So where's yer room?" he asked once we reached the second floor.

"Next floor up," I said.

Spot climbed the second staircase leading to the third floor, and he didn't even seem tired when we reached the top.

"That door," I said, nodding towards my bedroom door.

Spot opened it without struggle, and laid me down on my bed.

"I knew you weren't lyin about yer legs," he suddenly said.

I raised my eyebrows and smiled. "Really now?" I asked.

"Yeah…You didn't really think I was dat coldhearted did ya? I went lookin for Cromwell da both times I left ya, but I couldn't find 'im."

I shrugged and sighed. "Don't worry about it," I told him.

"You gonna be alright?" Spot asked.

"Of course," I answered like a true leader.

"Well what if ya need somethin?" he asked, licking at the dryness of his lips.

"I have a billion maids, Spot. I'll manage," I said.

Spot pulled off his cap and looked around. "But what if they're too busy with somethin and don't come ta help you?"

"They'll come," I told him. "They're afraid of me."

"But…what if the house catches on fire and dey leave you in here ta save demselves? Who's gonna save you den?"

"I'll magically fly out the window," I said.

"What if there was no way out? You'd boin alive, and we won't see you again," Spot said.

"You can stay if you like, Spot," I said, nodding towards a chair. "I don't mind."

"Well, since ya talked me into it…" Spot pulled the chair to the side of my bed and sat down, a look of relief upon his face.

"You…gotta nice room," Spot said randomly.

I shrugged and yawned. "I find the boy's bunk room more comfortable," I told him honestly.

"So do I," Spot said, nodding in agreement.

I heard commotion coming from the first floor, and I knew instantly that my father and his whore of a fiancé were home. His laughing was killing my ears, and all I wanted to do was shoot his head off.

His footsteps on the stairs angered me. He was coming towards my room, and I heard two knocks.

"Go away!" I yelled.

"Anomie, its your father, can I come in?" I heard.

"This is a no traitor zone. Better luck next time!" I said back.

The door opened, and my father's sturdy figure stepped into my dimly lit room. "The maids told me you were here," he said, smiling. "Who's your friend?"

Spot got to his feet and shook hands with my father. "Spot Conlon," he said. "Anomie isn't feelin well, so I'm gonna stay with 'er for awhile."

I was thankful he didn't ask for my father's permission. I wonder how that would've turned out…

"Oh…that's very nice of you," father said, trying to act as if he was the best father ever. "I'm glad to see my daughter is making more friends."

I rolled my eyes and sent him a glare. "Go play with your fiancé, Christopher!" I hissed.

My father looked at me, but didn't say any rude remarks. "I'll check up on you later, Anomie," he said as if he were concerned. "Sleep tight."

He left the room and shut the door, trying to look innocent. "Bastard," I said, sticking my tongue out at the door.

"He didn't seem so bad," Spot said with a shrug.

"He's just putting on an act," I said in disgust. "He's an ass…a real ass."

"Everyone's an ass to you, Anomie," Spot said, sitting back down in the chair.

"Are you staying here all night?" I asked.

"I will if you want me to," he said, smiling.

I shook my head. "I think its best if you leave," I told him. "It isn't very safe here."

Spot decided not to argue with me and nodded, getting to his feet. He walked towards the door, but turned around.

"Bye, Anomie," he said.

I didn't respond. I couldn't. My voice was lost in the air, and just hearing him say bye made my heart jump. For some reason I felt sad when he said bye…was something going to happen?

I shook it off and watched as he left the room and shut the door gently. It didn't take me long to fall asleep only to be greeted by an endless nightmare.

**Next Chapter: Anomie's legs come back to her control, and follows Ned around school. She and her friends come up with some plans to stop Ned, but it seems like Ned has some plans of his own up his sleeve.**

**Author note: Short, I know. I'm not feeling well.**


	29. Chapter Twenty Eight

**Author note: Sorry to say but I'm ending this early. I don't know how many chapters are going to help finish this up, but I'm tired of this story…so…yeah.**

I woke up to the sun in my eyes, and birds chirping aggravatingly.

"Shut up," I said, turning over to my side and slinging my pillow at the window.

My eyes suddenly opened and I sat up straight in bed. I moved my legs professionally, as if they were never paralyzed. I felt a sudden burst of excitement rise in me, but died down once I remembered where I was…father's house.

I pushed the sheets off of my body and rose from the bed, wobbling slightly.

"Perfect," I said, trying to hide a grin.

The sun streamed into my room in ribbons of color, making the room look livelier than it felt. I wobbled towards the door, taking baby steps as I did so. Opening the door I peaked out into the hall to find everything silent and empty.

"Even better," I said, now grinning from ear to ear.

I made myself get used to walking again as I stepped down the stairs slowly and carefully. Nobody was around other than a maid or two who had early shifts.

There was no time to stop and grab something to eat, so instead I instantly walked to the door, pulling it open only to find two big men, in whom I recognized to be spies working for Ned.

"Miss Parker, you were reported missing last night by your roommate," one said lifelessly.

"Well I'm not," I said. "I'm right here."

"We're going to have to take you with us."

Without saying another word I was dragged out of the house and into a big, black carriage, secluded from civilization.

"Hey, watch it!" I protested as they slammed the door shut and the carriage took off with a sudden jerk.

I jolted forward and caught myself from causing any real damage. One man sat on either side of me, looking straight ahead as if they were nothing but decayed corpses. I sent each of the odd looks, and even tried making them blink by waving my palm in front of their faces, but these lifeless minds were focused on the wall before them.

"Right," I said, leaning back and deciding to relax. "I guess we all don't have souls."

I tapped my fingers on the back of my hand boredly, examining the dull carriage. It was very depressing, and made me feel as if we were heading straight for a funeral.

But I knew where we were going. Ned would be expecting us, that smug smile on his oh so superior face, gleaming like he was the ruler of mankind. I clenched my fists, only dreaming of the day I had the nerve to punch it off, only to be replaced by surprise and repulsion.

I couldn't help but to laugh, seeing as how I was the only live one around. I might as well make the best of it while I still can.

The carriage came to a sudden halt, and the two spies crawled out, one grasping my arm and jerking slightly to get me out of the carriage. I rolled my eyes and followed them into the school building, grinning like a maniac who just caused the crime of a lifetime, yet had the time of their life doing so.

"Gently, boys," I said, pulling my arm away from them. "I believe you know who I am, so I'd watch your back."

I sent them a suspicious stare while walking backwards to Ned's office. I really did feel like a psycho, seeing as how I was acting like one. I gave the door three knocks and barged in without waiting for a response.

"No need to continue worrying," I announced, holding my hands up. "I am back to reclaim my place."

Ned looked up from his desk, anger flickering in his disgusting, manipulative eyes.

"Miss Parker," he said, closing the book he was skimming over. "I see you're back."

"Ha, what gave you the first clue?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

Ned sighed in frustration and rose from his chair. "Miss Parker you are supposed to be in the school building after dark," he said.

"This isn't a school, genius, it's a torture chamber," I said, picking up and object from his desk and throwing it from one hand to the other.

Ned narrowed his eyes, snatching the object out of my hands and placing it back down where it once was.

"I don't think you understand, Anomie," he said crossly.

"It wasn't my fault," I said, plopping down in a chair. "It was your stupid lackey who injected me with some kind of…whatever."

I picked up the object again, pretending to be fascinated of its odd features. I once again tossed it from one hand to another, tuning Ned out completely.

He banged his fists angrily on the desk, making me jump slightly. "You, Miss Parker, are getting on my last nerve! You better get ready, because in the next few days you'll be seeing your life flash before your very own eyes."

"Ooh, is that a threat?" I asked amusedly.

"You better damn well know it," he hissed. "Get out of me office."

I shrugged, rising from the chair as I tossed the object to Ned. "Good day, Sir," I said before leaving, smirking triumphantly.

I was feeling particularly perky today, and everyone could see it. But, when I entered mine and Erica's room, I got my head bitten off.

"Where were you?" Erica snapped, jumping up from her bed.

"I'm sorry, are we married?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows in fake humor.

"Anomie, I was worried sick! Last I heard you left the hospital with Spot, and nobody had seen of you since!" Erica said, looking as if she were ready to yank her hair out.

"Relax," I said. "I was paralyzed, but Spot took care of me."

Erica's mouth dropped to the floor in astonishment. "Spot…taking care of…you? Are you sleeping with him?" she screamed.

"Oh yes, and our wedding is next month," I said, grinning.

"Anomie Parker I want an explanation right this minute!" Erica demanded.

"Okay, mother, the truth is…I died, and now I'm here to kill you all!" I exclaimed.

"Jesus, Nomes, what has gotten into you?"

"Nothing, what's 'gotten' into you?" I asked, looking out the window.

"Did Spot give you alcohol? I swear that boy has an obsession with alcohol," my friend said.

"He might have," I shrugged. "I hope it tasted good. I'm not too fond of dull things." I laughed as I sat down at the end of my bed.

"Okay…That's it, I'm getting Stephen," Erica said, opening the door. "Don't you move from that spot, missy!"

"Where's Spot?" I asked, looking around.

Erica sighed in frustration and rolled her eyes as she left the room.

"What if I have to go to the washroom?" I said to myself.

I jumped up from the bed and exited the room, forgetting what Erica had ordered me to do. I wandered aimlessly down the winding halls, looking for nothing in particular. Whispers caught me in my steps, and I stopped walking. I narrowed my eyes as I edged closer to a corner, and peaked around.

"Get everything ready," a man said. "Mr. Neeley wants the needles immediately."

**Author note: There you have it, a chapter. Not long at all, but at least its something. Please expect short chapters in the future. Now, I have a huge test tomorrow, so I need to sleep. Nighty night.**


	30. Chapter Twenty Nine

**Author's note: Ah, finally, a chance to update. Sorry, I had end-of-the-year-80-percent-of-my-grade projects to do, and I passed my big tests! Anyways, I'm sure you want some excuses as to why I didn't update. Well, excuse number one – my friend was in a car accident, so I was fairly shaken up. But he's okay, I talked to him, and it turns out his brother fell asleep behind the wheel and flipped the truck. And number two – my uncle died today, and now I'm really depressed…I miss him…**

Friday was a day of chaos. For many reasons, I should add, and one is because it is the day of the party. Ned definitely had something planned – something up his sleeve, and it had to do with me.

But, to be totally honest, I wasn't even worried about that. The few days before the party I was researching and spying, and I knew exactly what to do. Now my mind was stuck on one thing and one thing only – Spot Conlon.

I couldn't tell you why he was the main point of my thoughts, but then again I didn't want to know, myself. The morning of Friday woke me with a startling scream…

I fell face first out of my bed, a short scream escaping my throat.

"Wha?" Erica rose immediately from her slumber and looked down at me with droopy eyes. "What happened?" she inquired, rubbing her sand-filled eyes.

"Nightmare," I said, pushing myself up from the floor.

I sat on the edge of my bed as I ran my fingers through my hair in attempt to comb it down. I had a nightmare, yes, but the odd thing was I didn't know what about.

Erica chuckled and threw her feet over the side of her bed, rising slowly. "I hate nightmares," she yawned while stretching.

"Yeah," I said. "So do I."

"I don't really want to go to the party tonight," said Erica as she began to change clothes.

I stared at the floor shortly, letting my mind come back to its senses.

"Oh," I finally said. "The party...I think it's absolutely ridiculous."

I stood to my feet and began to dress as well. I could only frown from the memory of the chaos of this week. What a week it has been, and I was totally prepared for anything coming my way. I spent hours and hours listening in on Ned, and watching his every move.

I freshened up as quickly as I could and hurried out of the building, leaving my friends behind. Stumbling into Joy's I nearly tripped over my feet as I looked around. My eyes scanned over the newsies in a rush and landed on their leader, not sitting too far away from the front door.

He sat around with a couple of his guys and two other newsie girls, laughing at something Blade said. I let out a short breath and quickly walked over to him, trying not to look too eager.

I approached him slowly, standing behind him. "Spot," I said, looking at him.

Spot leaned his head back and grinned. "Hey Anomie," he said, leaning up and turning around slightly.

His cap sat on the table before him, and his cane rested in his belt loop as always. He had that relaxed look on his face as I stepped to his side.

"Can I speak with you shortly?" I asked, biting my lip.

Spot looked as if he were thinking this over, and then politely excused himself from the table.

We stepped outside, and Spot's grin widened. "What can I help ya with, Parker?" he asked.

"Here," I said, shoving a folded up piece of paper in his direction.

"What is this?" he asked, taking it from my possession.

"Don't read it now," I instructed him. "Read it alone; you and Blade..."

I turned on my heel to leave, but Spot caught my arm.

"That's it?" he asked, slightly confused.

"Spot, things are going to change tonight, and I don't know if I'll end up in jail or somewhere else," I said.

"What're you talkin 'bout?" asked Spot, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Just understand, Spot, that I'm not a bad person, I swear. I hurt, I cheat, I hate, but I don't lie…I merely keep the truth to myself until all is safe."

I quickly pecked Spot's lips, although it seemed to take forever. I swiftly turned around and was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving my puzzled friend, or whatever he is to me, behind.

The note merely read for him and Blade to meet me outside of Joy's tomorrow morning, that is, if I'm still alive.

Tonight, at the party, was the night everything finally resolved itself, and my huge test would be complete…only if I passed. The war between good and evil has started, and nothing can stop the good from winning, even if we died trying. I had too much pride to let Ned get away with torturing us any longer. Somebody has to step up to him, and bring the problem to the public…and, proudly, that somebody is me…and that somebody is pissed.

The plan was already setup, and it wasn't just my gang of close friends in on it. Trey and some of his friends were involved, and a lot of other people…Ned wouldn't expect me, of all people, to ask for someone else's help, so it was perfect.

Although I was ready for this war/test to begin, I knew I wasn't completely prepared. The only thing that held me back was the location of the remedy…

"I could kill him for this," I said harshly as I slipped into a pink skirt.

I shuddered, making Erica laugh as she fixed her hair in the mirror. "Are we all set up?" she asked, turning towards me with her angelic grin.

"Yeah," I said proudly. "Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, chief," she said, giving me a small salute.

The door slowly opened as Cadince and Stephen entered the room, both reluctantly dressed up.

"This is nasty," Cadince whined, pointing at her high-classed clothing.

I shrugged and followed my friends out the door, heading for the main hall. As I passed Trey, one of my companions, he quickly slipped a note into my hand. Nobody saw, for our eyes and minds were set straight ahead, not even concentrating on the other person, other than the note switching.

We sat at our regular table as we waited for the party to begin. The room was nicely decorated, a little too classy. I silently opened the note in my hand, and looked down long enough to scan over the sentence: _Everything is ready, on your signal…_

I crumbled up the piece of paper and ripped it into shreds, and carelessly released its remains under the table.

"Please take your seats," said a man from the front of the room. "Before we begin, I would like to say a few words about Mr. Neeley." He pointed with his hand in Ned's direction.

Ned smiled and waved him away as if he were embarrassed.

"Ned Neeley is a close friend of mine," the man started. "And I would like to start off by telling you how much he accomplished these past few years. I've never seen a man so eager to help children, such as yourselves, learn. He saw an opportunity and jumped for it, and now he's a wonderful headmaster for a school full of bright, young, intelligent people…"

"We must be looking at different crowds," I whispered to my friends, making them snicker.

"A toast," the man said, "to the most encouraging and trustworthy person known to man."

People began to raise their glasses in Ned direction, and I simply knocked mine over, the one and only, professionally thought up signal.

**Coming up in the last few chapters: Good and evil battle it out for life or death, and death seems to be an inch away from the good. In the streets of Brooklyn, out in public, a secret untold and ever so deadly is revealed, and evil can do nothing but fight. Not only is good failing to succeed, but the life of a loved one is taken…**

**Author note: Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go mourn the death of my uncle, in whom I loved very much. I'll update ASAP since school is let out for summer break Wed.**


	31. Chapter Thirty

**Author note: Well then, I finally found some time to update, so hurray for me! Anyways, I went to the funeral home Wed. and didn't expect to see Clyde Pickler, Kellie Pickler's grandfather. Apparently he worked with my uncle, so you know, that's pretty cool. Anyhow, enough of my babbling, here's this chapter.**

The room suddenly became dark as the shadows consumed everything. Whispers echoed off the walls, a mess of confusion easily sensed. Chairs screeched against the floor as people flew to their feet; mainly the ones with a pathological fear of darkness.

I slid out of my chair and could see the dark figures of my friends rise as well, following whatever they could see of me. I tiptoed as silently as possible towards the front of the room, towards Ned. I held my hand behind my back as someone slipped a sharp knife into it, the blade shimmering brightly.

I clutched it tightly as Ned rose to his feet, obviously confused as well. I licked at my lips as I brought the knife forward towards his skull, and suddenly the lights turned back on.

Everyone's eyes landed on me, standing in the front of the room getting ready to thrust a knife in Ned's head.

"What in God's name?" a man yelled, rising to his feet.

Ned just stared at me with daring eyes as he reached out and clutched my wrist tightly.

"Please do not be alarmed, ladies and gentlemen," Ned began, "Miss. Parker here is simply one of our mentally challenged students. She doesn't have a clue as to what she is doing."

With his free hand Ned grabbed the knife and it slid out of my fingers. I watched as he set it down on the table and motioned for his men – or in everyone else's case, the 'teachers'- to come forth.

"Could you please take Miss. Parker and her friends to their rooms?" Ned asked.

The men obeyed and one grabbed my arm as the others began to escort Stephen, Erica and Cadince out of the room. I looked in Trey's direction. Without being noticed by a single soul he quickly sent me a short wink, and then we were out the door.

The men became rougher as we entered the hall, and they began to drag us in another direction. We weren't headed to our rooms, but to the dungeons.

A man opened one of the doors and all four of us were thrown in. And, not to my surprise, Ned showed up afterwards. He entered our small cell and reached into his pocket.

"Don't worry," he said, bringing out two needles, "you won't feel a thing."

He injected them both into my body, and he was right, I didn't feel a thing. I smirked as he moved away, my little deed already done, and blacked out, but not before watching my friends being injected as well.

"_Hush little darlin', don't you cry, mommy will be here by and by…"_

_I lay silently in my bed as I watched my mother sing peacefully to my baby brother, rocking back and forth in her chair. Her eyes were closed as she held on tightly to Kaiden, daring someone to try and take him away._

"_Baby darling don't you worry, nobody is here to hurt you…"_

_I pulled my blanket close and stared at the candle flickering on the nightstand, casting shadows upon mother. Her nightdress fell to her feet, and the blanket tightly wrapped around Kaiden fell over her arms._

_Her face held a worried look, worried for her children. She didn't know what was in stored for them in the future…_

"_Mommy loves you, yes she does, so don't you ever worry…"_

_I didn't want Kaiden to have all the attention. I wanted to be wrapped tightly in mother's arms as she sung me the lullaby…but I was too old._

_Mother opened her eyes and planted a tender kiss upon my baby brother's forehead, a tear traveling down her cheek. I didn't ask her why she was crying, because I was too caught up in the moment._

_She rose out of her chair and made her way to Kaiden's crib, gently lying him down._

"_Goodnight, my sweet angel," she whispered._

_She turned towards me and walked towards my bed. "And goodnight, my little princess," she said, kissing my forehead._

"_Night, mommy," I said back._

_She smiled briefly before turning away and walking towards the door, picking up the candle on her way. She gave me one last glance before leaving the room._

_My eyes fell shut and I allowed myself to float into a sweet slumber. That was, until, the slam of a door woke me with a jolt…_

I rose suddenly with a short gasp. I took in my surroundings and noticed that I was back in my bed, in mine and Erica's room.

I ran my fingers through my hair and pushed the sheets away from my body. I didn't feel weak or unstable, I actually felt normal.

Erica slept soundlessly in her bed, breathing lightly. I got to my feet and shuffled around the room, pulling on my regular clothing. Before I reached for the door, a little note on the floor caught my attention.

I skeptically picked it up, and opened it.

"A test for Miss. Cassidy and Mr. Cromwell will take place this morning at 9:00," I read to myself.

I rolled my eyes and laid the note down on the nightstand, figuring Erica would see it. I left the room, remembering my meeting with Spot and Blade.

My walk to Joy's Diner seemed to take ages. Spot and Blade were standing outside, talking to each other, not even noticing my arrival.

"Boys," I said, grabbing their attention.

"Anomie," said Spot, turning towards me. "So, what exactly are we doing heah?"

"I'll explain everything inside," I said, motioning towards the door.

"Okay, but Jacky-boy is heah," Spot said, walking into the diner.

Jack sat at one of the tables, drumming his fingers on the wood. He looked up and grinned, greeting us with a nod.

"Well I guess I'll have to tell you too," I said, sitting down in one of the chairs.

"Tell me what?" Jack asked, looking over to Spot.

Spot shrugged and all three boys settled their eyes on me.

"God, I don't know how to explain this," I said, rubbing my chin.

Spot smirked and leaned his elbows on the table. "Is dis gonna be a story?" he asked.

"You can say that," I said.

"Is it long?" asked Blade.

"Depends," I said. "Now be quiet so I can tell you."

I took in a deep breath… _Well, here goes everything…_

"You see, everything Brooklyn thought we were is a lie. Students to a boarding school for boys and girls, but that's not what it really is…"

"What is it?" Jack interrupted me.

The three boys took in the doubtful look on my face. "A school of survival…"

I stopped talking and furrowed my eyebrows as Stephen and Erica ran out in front of the diner. The two of them bent over to breathe, but passed out…

I jumped to my feet and ran towards the door, not knowing what was going on.

**Author note: Well, I tried to think up something the past few days for this chapter, because I didn't know how to start it. Hopefully it's good.**


	32. Chapter Thirty One

**Author note: I know the other chapter was short but I didn't want to say too much in that chapter.**

The boys followed after me as I zoomed out the door to my friends. I dropped to my knees instantly as Stephen opened his eyes, coughing slightly.

"If I'm not mistaken," I began, "I'm pretty sure this isn't part of the plan!"

Stephen shook his head and looked up. "Test, dogs, wouldn't make it, jumped the fence," he said, his body coated with dirt and blood.

"Come on," I said, throwing his arm around my shoulder, "get up."

I looked back at the three boys staring down at us confusedly. "Help!" I demanded.

They sprung into action as Spot bent down to help me with Stephen and Jack and Blade tended to Erica.

"Are we alive?" she asked, opening her eyes.

"For now," I said once we got Stephen standing again.

"What happened?" Spot demanded to know.

I narrowed my eyes in anger. "Ned; that's what happened. That sorry ass bastard thinks he can get away with anything!"

"Who's Ned?" asked Jack, looking over at me.

"I bet I can answer that," came a cold voice I grew to hate with a passion.

"You guys, what happened?" Cadince asked, running from her post.

"The plan is ruined," Stephen choked out, ashamed of himself.

"Can somebody explain dis to us," Blade said, keeping a good grip on Erica.

"Go ahead, Parker," Ned said, his arms behind his back firmly. "Go ahead and tell them everything. Tell them of the deadly tests you go through everyday, and the rules you must obey to live. Tell them of your pride and leadership to my students, I mean, since you are the only one who can survive. Tell them…"

The pedestrians walking by kept their eyes ahead and their noses out of this. I was quite thankful for that, but I wasn't going to let this plan fail.

"How about I just tell the world?" I said, letting go of Stephen, keeping him in Spot's care.

Ned leaned his head back slightly, raising his eyebrows. "You dare to expose me when I can do the same to you? Oh dear Anomie, who do you think they'll listen to? Me, a man of my word, or you, a former murderer by the name of-"

"Stop it!" I demanded, clutching my fists. "I'm sick and tired of your stupid schemes to ruin my life! I'm tired of going through tests each and every day, thinking of ways to get my brother back! I'm tired of living in the shadows of the person I once was…"

Ned chuckled, taking one step closer. "Anything else?" he asked.

I stepped closer as well, testing him. "Yeah," I said angrily. "I'm tired of wearing these damn bandages to cover up the numbers you had carved in us!"

I pulled the bandage off of my wrist, exposing the number to the world, although the world wasn't even paying attention.

"Anomie, that's enough," Cadince hissed sharply. "Everything is ruined, just stop while you're still alive."

"No," I said, looking back at her. "I'm not giving up!"

"Speaking of being alive," Ned spoke up, "those needles last night… You may want to check your arm."

I looked down at my arm. Nothing was wrong… that was, until I turned it over. The bottom of my arm seemed to be a bluish color, almost engulfing my whole arm.

"What the hell?" I whispered.

"What is that?" Jack asked, examining Stephen and Cadince's arm.

"All of you have it," Ned said. "My students that is. It's a poison I injected in you last night. The other needle was merely to put you to sleep. Very creative, no?"

"What in da hell is wrong with you?" Blade yelled, obviously not catching on to the mad-man aroma around Ned.

"He's a mastermind," I said in almost a whisper, looking at my arm in astonishment. "Everything we planned out…you was a step further."

Ned shrugged, "Of course. Speaking of which, you have two hours to find the antidote before you are gone for good. And then, Miss. Parker, your test is done. But the real question is…can you do it?"

"You sick son of a-" Spot jumped forward to attack Ned, but I stood in the way.

"Stop it, Spot!" I demanded, trying my best to keep him from Neeley.

"The riddle to the antidote is: I am within the earth, but easy to get to, I am used for good, by lie with the bad, I am encased in wood, but I am locked for eternity," said Ned.

My eyes wondered to the ground, my mind spinning from exhaustion.

"What is goin on over here?" a cop yelled, walking closer.

"You better hurry," Ned said.

"Come on!" I said, taking off in a run.

The others, confused as ever, chased after me, leaving Ned and the cop behind.

"Where are we going?" Cadince called after me.

I stopped outside of the school, and looked back at everyone. "Remember your aunt?"

Cadince nodded.

"We're paying her a visit."

Cadince furrowed her eyebrows as we entered the school, the confused newsboys following as well.

"Care to explain?" Spot asked as he caught up with me as the lot of us stepped quickly through the halls.

"Care for a long story?" I asked, giving him a glance.

He shrugged, ready for anything.

"Well," I began…

As I talked to Spot, and the other boys – explaining the school and everything – we walked through the halls as if we were ghosts, nobody daring to stop us.

As we made it to the back of the school I grabbed one of the many shovels that stood by the back door, and ushered the others to do the same.

"And that's why everything was so complicated," I finished, turning towards Spot as we stood by the grave.

Spot stared at me oddly, taking in everything I just blurted out.

"So yer tellin me-"

"That you guys hafta go through hell everyday jus' to survive 'cause yer headmaster is an insane freak?" Blade interrupted.

"Yeah pretty much," I shrugged.

"That isn't what I was gonna say," Spot said through gritted teeth.

Blade shrugged as everyone looked at me for instructions.

"What are we doing, chief?" Cadince asked, gripping her shovel.

"This'll probably tear your nerves – Cadince, Stephen – but we gotta dig up Josephine…"

Cadince closed her eyes and looked away. "I can't dig up my aunt, Nomes," she said.

"The box, remember the box we buried with her? It has the antidotes! Ned knew what would happen all along!"

I jammed my shovel into the dirt and began to dig at a fast pace. The others reluctantly joined, not exactly fond of the dirty deed.

"So you guys had to bury someone?" Jack asked, throwing dirt over his shoulder.

"Yeah," I said, doing the same.

"I'm so confused," Blade confessed.

Spot was silent as he shoveled as well, a look I couldn't read on his face.

"Are you going to die?" Blade asked as he stopped shoveling.

"We will if you don't help!" I exclaimed.

"So you were right all along," Spot suddenly said, not even looking up.

"Right about what?" I asked, sending him a glance.

He stopped to wipe at the sweat dripping from his forehead. "I don't know you at all."

I furrowed my eyebrows and stared at him shortly. "What?"

He looked up, that same expressionless look upon his face. "I jumped to conclusions, Anomie-"

"Don't," I said, giving him a stern look. "We've made it this far, Conlon, don't ruin it."

He merely sighed and continued to shovel, all of us as anxious as the other to uncover the antidote.

**Author note: Haha! I am leaving you here, for now, and hopefully I'll finish this story before vacation this Saturday. Love and Peace!**


	33. Chapter Thirty Two

**Author note: Thanks for the reviews everybody, you are my heroes. Now, here's this chapter.**

Erica whimpered in pain as she nearly stumbled backwards from the numbness in her arms. It wasn't easy digging up a body, but then again it wasn't easy burying one either.

"I can't believe you guys kept dis from us for so long," Blade said, nearly out of breath.

"Yeah, well, it was do or die, right?" I asked, breathing out a short breath of exhaustion.

"We can keep a secret," Spot said, sending me an angered look, his hair falling loosely in his face.

I stopped shoveling and sent him a cold glare. "We were followed, Spot," I snapped. "I wasn't about to get in trouble for telling someone and be sent to the punishment room again."

"There's a punishment room?" asked Jack, pushing his bangs out of his eyes.

"Yeah," I said, looking back down at the ground.

"And the tests were dreadful," Erica said, looking down at her palms. "I can still feel the nails…"

Blade sent her a sympathetic look, rubbing her shoulder. "What other tests were there?" he asked.

I continued to shovel as I explained. "Oh you know, looking through dead bodies, surviving wild fires, being chased by man eating dogs, and the occasional burying a sweet woman. The easy stuff." I sent Spot a dirty look, and he merely averted his eyes away.

"Anomie is the leader," Stephen explained. "She can survive anything."

_Anything but love, _I thought, once again sending Spot a glance.

"I hated when they recarved our numbers each month," Erica whined. "It hurt so much."

"The man's sick!" I suddenly said.

"Nobody ever sees him but Nomes… Ned has a way with testing her temper," Erica told them.

"Yeah, and can you believe he actually told me to kill you, Conlon?" I said, stopping to look at Spot.

He met my eyes with a look I couldn't define. It was mixed with pain and anger, but something else shone as well…

"Why?" Blade asked, his eyes wide.

"I guess Ned just has something against newsies," I said sarcastically.

We never even realized we were already at the body, and everybody jumped once they noticed.

"Oh my," Erica gasped.

I pushed my hair out of my face as I bent down and grabbed the small, wooden box.

"Sorry Josephine," I said, "but I need this."

Everyone climbed out of the hole as I waited for someone to take the box. Stephen reached down and gripped it tight, bringing it up. Another hand appeared to get me out of the hole. I stared at Spot shortly before taking his hand and allowing him to pull me out.

I took the box from Stephen and looked it over.

"It's locked," I said. "Where in the hell is the key?"

I looked around at everyone, who just seemed to be as confused as me. I groaned annoyingly and made my way back to the building.

"Where ya goin now?" Jack called, throwing his arms up.

"To get another riddle!" I replied.

The others followed as we walked back into Brooklyn, and everything seemed different. I stopped outside of Joy's Diner, looking for a certain person.

"Come out, Ned," I said loudly. "I want my goddamned riddle."

"Forceful much?" a voice said, making me cringe in hate.

I twirled around to face Ned, my eyes blazing.

"You got five seconds," I hissed. "Go."

Ned narrowed his eyes. "The key lies at the heart of the one you love…"

I turned back to my group. "Who here loves somebody?" I asked, looking at each face.

Ned chuckled. "No, dear Anomie, someone you love…"

"But Danny's not here," I said, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Think harder," said Ned.

I looked back to my group. "Who do I love?" I asked under my breath. "Who do I love?"

"You don't have long, Parker," Ned said, making my temper level rise higher.

My eyes landed on Spot, and a memory suddenly flashed in my mind…

_I walked in-between Stephen and Spot as we neared the docks. I glanced over at the Brooklyn ruler and tilted my head confusedly._

"_What's that?" I asked._

"_What?" Spot said._

_I nodded towards the silver key hanging around his neck, and he looked down. He took it up in his fingers and looked at it._

"_If I told you, I'd have ta kill ya," he said._

"_You can try, but you won't succeed," I told him. "What's the key to?"_

"_Don't know, honestly," he said. "Some guy sold it to me."_

"_You bought a key from a man you don't know?" I asked._

"_Yeah," Spot shrugged._

"_You don't even know what it's to," I told him._

"_I know," he said…_

"No way," I whispered.

"What?" Cadince asked, looking from me to Spot.

I quickly walked up to Spot and pulled on the string around his neck, alarming everybody.

"No way, you love Spot? Ewe!" Cadince exclaimed.

I held the key firmly in my fingers, and traced my eyes from it to the Brooklyn leader. He raised his eyebrows, but his expression remained unreadable.

"Am I missing something?" Stephen asked, suspicion in his eyes.

I ignored his question and stuck the key into the box, turning it with ease. The box opened slightly, and everyone let out a sigh of relief.

I opened the box fully and stared down at the needles.

"There's only three," I said, looking up at Ned. "Where's the last one?"

Ned smiled mischievously, shoving his hands in his pockets. I narrowed my eyes as I picked the needles up.

"Hold out your arm," I ordered Cadince.

She did as she was told and I quickly injected the antidote into her arm. She closed her eyes and thanked me as I went on to Erica. She held her arm out and I injected the other needle in her flesh.

"Okay, now Stephen," I said, stepping in front of my friend.

"You take it," Stephen said, holding his hand up.

"No, there's more girls, and one boy, its only fair," I said.

"But-"

"I'm the leader, Stephen, let me do my job."

Spot looked away as I stuck the last needle into Stephen.

"What's going to happen to Anomie?" Erica asked, looking towards Ned.

"Don't you worry," said Ned. "Miss. Parker has far more important things to worry about."

I rolled my eyes, slamming the box shut. "Get on with the riddle, Neeley," I demanded.

"Ahead of the game, are we?" Ned joked.

"Don't test me," I warned him.

"But isn't that what this is? A test?" Ned said, stepping forward.

And, as if his words were a sign, the building to my right suddenly blew up, and was engulfed in flames. My eyes grew wide in horror and shock.

"You better hurry, Anomie," Ned said. "Danny's waiting."

A small scream came from the building, and my heart leaped out of my chest. "Danny!" I yelled.

I sprang towards the building, which was now attracting a crowd. Spot, in total shock and confusion, ran after me.

I kicked open the door and immediately rushed through, holding my arms up to block the flames.

"Anomie!" Spot yelled, stepping into the building.

He pulled me back in time as a part of the roof fell where I was standing. "Oh crap," I said, my eyes still wide.

I grabbed hold of Spot's hand and lead him near a staircase. "We can't!" Spot exclaimed, trying to pull me back.

"I'm not leaving my brother!" I argued, pulling away.

Spot groaned and followed after me, taking each step slowly. "If we die," he began, "I'm sorry!"

"For what?" I shouted, looking back at him.

"For bein an ass; you were right, I didn't know what you went through!"

"Save it for later!"

We made it to the second floor, only to find it was caving in at a rapid pace. "Where is he?" Spot asked.

I looked up, my mind racing. "Third floor!"

We began to climb another set of stairs, holding on tightly to each other. "Careful," Spot said, keeping me steady.

"I never would've thought you were the keeper of the key," I said.

"Me neither," Spot responded.

"I don't even believe in love…" I explained.

"Me neither."

"And I don't have the guts to even admit that I would love someone."

We reached the third floor and I turned towards Spot.

"Me neither…" he said.

I took in a deep breath. "And I don't know why my heart is racing right now."

"Well, it could be because yer in a burnin building, or you've proven yerself wrong," Spot said, keeping close.

"Help!" a voice called.

Spot and I both reacted and ran for a door, Spot kicking it open.

"Danny!" I shouted.

Danny, looking frail and shaken, ran into my arms immediately. "Anomie!" he exclaimed.

I looked around, and quickly pulled away, keeping my little brother close. "Come on," I said, pulling him out the door.

Spot stood on one side of Danny as I stood on the other.

"I never would've guessed myself to change," I said, looking over at Spot as we descended the stairs.

"That makes two of us," he said, guiding Danny with his hand.

"Surrendering to a school of survival changes you, even if you used to be sweet, kind and generous," I explained.

"It doesn't surprise me," Spot said. "And living on da streets does da same."

We started on the second staircase, the three of us close together.

"Nobody was able to bring me out of the shadows until recently," I told him.

"I was never so addicted to one person," Spot said.

Fresh air entered my lungs as we made it out of the building, but I stopped, turning to Spot.

"I never would've thought that it'd be true, but I love you," I said, looking up at him intently.

"I lied when I said nobody was good enough for me," he said, searching my eyes. "And I love you."

I pulled Spot down to my lips, surprising anybody and everybody watching.

"Well done," Ned said, interrupting my magical moment.

I pulled away from Spot, facing Ned. "You really are something," Ned told me.

I took in a deep breath, daring him to step closer.

"Anomie," Daniel said, pulling at my arm.

I looked down, and watched as Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out a needle.

"Danny, it's the antidote!" I exclaimed, kneeling down to his level.

I grabbed it from his hands, grinning from ear to ear. I quickly injected it into my arm, relieved.

But there was still an obstacle standing in the way…

Ned Neeley.

**Author note: Surprised? Me too. Enjoy!**


	34. Chapter Thirty Three

**Author note: Blah, blah, blah, here's your lovely chapter.**

I rose slowly from the ground, eyeing Ned. He just stood there with a grin, as if mocking me; laughing at me.

"I have to say," he began, walking closer, "you really surprised me."

I let out a sharp breath, ready to rip him into shreds any second now.

"You've already lost," I hissed.

"You think so?" he asked, amused.

I furrowed my eyebrows, keeping a close eye on the people surrounding us. "You're sick!" I snapped.

"Maybe so," he said. "Ladies and gentlemen I would like to introduce to you Anomie Parker, a strong, smart girl at my school. But I have recently just found out the truth about this girl; the truth that could ruin her forever…"

My eyes grew wide in horror and Daniel grabbed hold of me, not wanting to be apart any longer. "Shut up," I said, venom leaking from my voice like rain.

"I would like to take this time to introduce you to the real Anomie Parker…"

"Stop it," I said again, stepping closer dangerously.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, holding his hand out towards me, "Eve Carter."

Gasps came from all over; shocked expressions plastered to their faces. "Officers…take her away," Ned ordered.

I leaped forward towards Ned as the cops grabbed my arms tightly. I struggled beneath their grasp, trying to pull away.

"No!" Daniel exclaimed, running forward and banging his fists against a cop's leg. "Don't take her away from me again!"

My friends jumped into action, trying to pry the cops away from me. Spot, on the other hand, stood speechless, staring ahead like he was dazed.

"Let her go!" Cadince screamed, reaching for my hand.

"You guys," Erica said, stepping back.

"Erica, help!" Stephen exclaimed, looking back at her.

He let go of the cop slowly, staring at Erica. "Cadince," he said, tapping her arm.

Cadince turned around and the chaos stopped. Erica held her hands to her head, squinting in pain. She began to groan, and then muffled cries escaped her throat.

"Erica," I said in almost a whisper.

She fell to the ground almost in slow motion. "Erica!" I screamed, immediately running from the cop's loose grasp and dropping to my knees beside my friend.

She was squirming in pain, twitching and crying. "Stay still," I demanded, trying to get her to calm down.

"Help," she said, grabbing my arm and looking straight into my eyes. "Make it stop!"

Stephen was instantly on the other side, just as confused as I was.

"Don't just stand there, get some help!" I yelled at the cops, staring like it was a show.

"Hold on Erica," I said. "Just hold on."

"What's happening?" Blade screamed, dropping beside Stephen to try and keep Erica calm.

"Help me!" Erica screamed.

I turned my gaze to Ned. "What's happening?"

He merely shrugged, lying to the public.

Cadince and Jack were soon joining us, and Daniel did too.

I placed my hand under Erica's head and my other on her arm. "Stop moving, Erica," I tried saying over her screams. "Just calm down."

Tears streaked down her face, and her cries were terrifying. Her fists were balled up tightly, her nails cutting deeply into her skin, causing blood to leak freely from the wounds.

"Anomie, help me," Erica begged, looking back at me. "Please!"

I lowered my head, for once in my life having nothing to do to save my friend.

"Anomie, do something!" Stephen said.

"What can I do?" I screamed.

"I don't know; you're a miracle worker!"

I wanted to wipe away the tears that escaped from my eyes, but the flow was too strong. I grabbed Erica's hand and turned her face to me. "Listen, Erica," I said, "everything is gonna be alright. It'll all end soon, and you'll feel better. Just hang in there."

In the crowd, a familiar face tore my nerves. My father stood beside Ana, staring at the scene like he didn't know me.

Erica squeezed my hand tightly, her blood transferring to my hand. Finally she stopped. Her screaming ceased and she became motionless.

"Erica?" I said, looking down at her confusedly. "Erica?"

Everybody began to move away, but Stephen and I stayed. The tight grip Erica held loosened and her hand fell. "Erica?" I said, more urgently, shaking her.

"Wake up!" I demanded. "Damn it, Erica, I said wake up!"

Stephen lay his head down upon her stomach, his crying echoing in my ears. The world stopped moving and time stood still as my friends dropped their heads in sorrow.

"Don't do this!" I screamed, banging on her chest. "Wake up!"

I looked at her face to see if she had awakened, but she hadn't. "Wake up, wake up, wake up-"

"Anomie, stop," Cadince said, dropping down beside me, pulling my fists away from Erica.

She pulled me into a hug as I laid my head down on her shoulder; doing the one thing I knew nothing about – cry. The clouds – showing no sign of remorse – wept the loss of a close friend.

"I am dearly sorry for your loss," Ned said, his voice bringing an unknown rage inside of me.

The thirst for murder washed over me completely, a feeling I hadn't felt in such a long time. I had to be drenched in his blood, for the sake of my sanity. I had to be superior, and let this feeling get the best of me. I had to get revenge, for the antidote I injected into Erica was a fake. Of all people who had to get it, it had to be her, the good one.

I instantly pulled away from Cadince's embrace and was on my feet in no time. The look upon my face brought fear to all, as my gaze bore straight into Ned Neeley.

"You goddamn son of a bitch," I said in a voice I didn't know I possessed.

"Those are some intense words, Anomie," Ned said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"And it's a shame you won't get to hear them any longer," I said.

Ned stared at me coldly, and suddenly stepped back. His eyes grew to the size of apples as he brought his hands to his head.

"Check your arm, Ned," I said in a devilish voice.

Ned immediately pulled his sleeve up to view the blue poison spreading throughout his arm.

"It's funny what you find out when you spy on others," I said, stepping closer to him.

"I won't let you win!" he said, pain leaking from his voice.

"I already have," I told him. "Because when you injected the poison in me, I injected it into you. Only, you never noticed…because you don't feel a thing."

I brought a knife out and slashed Ned across the face, watching him stumble back. "The poison will eat your insides, just like it did to Erica."

I slashed his face again, humored to see him fear me. He fell to his knees, and began to scurry away. The crowd parted slightly as he moved towards them, but parted even more once I moved forward.

I brought my foot into his back and he fell onto his stomach. "But the thing is, Ned, you were injected with a different poison."

I sent a kick to his ribs, listening to him moan in pain. "It'll make you suffer longer, that way I can give you back the pain you caused me."

I kicked him again and he turned over to his back. The crowd – the cops included – stared, watching the work of Eve Carter.

"Searching through dead bodies, running through a damp forest from mad dogs, being locked in a room of raging fire, this is the pain you caused us!" I kicked him again, his groaning music to my ears.

"For five years you kept me locked up in that damn hell hole like it was a prison…" I bent down beside his head, making him stare me in the eyes. "You always told me you were waiting for a person to come. A person that could outsmart you; well Ned, you've found her. Don't you wish now that you were a bit nicer?"

"You deserved…everything," he said hoarsely.

I narrowed my eyes. "Let's get started, shall we?"

I brought my foot roughly into his ribs. "That's for keeping me away from my brother for five years!"

I kept going on and on, kicking him until his ribs were fully broken, naming off things he owed me for.

And this," I said, placing my blade on his neck, "is for Erica."

"Anomie, stop!" Cadince said, running up beside me.

I gave her an odd look, just now remembering we had an audience. "You're stopping me?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said. "Let the poison finish him off. It's more painful." She sent a kick to his side, a proud look on her face.

I stepped back to examine my work, satisfied with the outcome. "Thanks for the times, Ned," I said, saluting his dying body.

My eyes then fell on my father, standing horrified in the crowd. He met my eyes, and fear washed over him. "Start running," I said to him slowly.

In the blink of an eye he was running down the street, leaving Ana behind. I smirked and turned around facing my friends. Stephen, who was still beside Erica's body, rose to his feet. "We're free?" he asked.

"We're free," I said.

Cheers came from all over, but not from the audience around us. Students from the rooftops of shops showed their faces, cheering and screaming to the top of their lungs. Some were crying, and others were nearly fainting.

"Great work, Nomes," Trey said, appearing out of nowhere. "It had nothing to do with the plan, but it was a hell of a show. You are a true leader."

I laughed and gave him a short hug, and was immediately surrounded by excited and thankful students, nearly knocking me over with hugs. I looked out into the crowd. My face fell as I watched Spot turn around, beginning to walk away.

"Move," I said, pushing people out of my way. I didn't even stay to watch as Trey and the others lit Ned's body on fire.

"Spot!" I called, jogging to catch up with the Brooklyn leader I fell in love with.

He stopped and turned around, his expression angry and hurt.

"What's wrong?" I asked, frowning.

"You lied to me, Anomie," he said. "Wait, I mean _Eve_."

"Don't call me that," I said.

"But that's who you are, right? Eve, da most wanted moiderer in all of America."

I bit my lip, and looked away briefly. "I know, I lied to you, but I couldn't tell you."

Spot shook his head. "It doesn't mattah," he said. "I'm leavin."

And with that I watched him walk away, not even glancing back. I stood with a broken heart, not able to run after him to mend it for me. Because, like Ned said not too long ago, I was meant to be alone.

**Author note: It's not over yet, so wait for the next chapter. Anyways, I'm going on vacation Saturday to Saint Augustine in Florida, and I'll be gone for a week. Maybe I can think up another Newsies story to write next. Tah tah!**


	35. Chapter Thirty Four

**Author note: Insert author note here**

"How do you plead?" came the judge's gruffly voice.

"Guilty," I said, smirking proudly.

"You do?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Well I did kill someone," I shrugged, "unless you find me innocent."

He narrowed his eyes and banged his gavel on his deck like he was almighty. "Eve Anomie-Elyse Jenadae Carter, you are found guilty for the murders of at least over twelve men, counting the president, Ned Neeley, and ten of his men, who are unknown at the moment."

"Did you count the man I killed at the docks?" I asked, grinning arrogantly.

The Judge – Judge Patterson – rolled his eyes and banged his gavel once more. "By the end of this week if you have not paid the fine of thirty dollars you'll have life sentence in jail. Dismissed."

"I object!" Cadince shouted, standing to her feet.

"On what grounds?"

"On the grounds of self defense! Are you mad? We lived half of our lives as slaves to that treacherous man and his lackeys! I find it unfair that you put an innocent girl in jail for merely standing up for her rights. What would you have done if you were put through a series of tests to test your mental and physical abilities?"

Everybody stared at Cadince, astonished by her strong and intense words.

"Young woman, are you Miss. Carter's attorney?" the judge asked.

Cadince looked at me shortly, and said in a deep and sure of herself voice, "yes!"

"Miss Idi, sit down!" my real lawyer demanded.

Cadince lowered her head and sat down. "Miss. Carter may have been a prisoner to this man's games, but she still has no alibi for the death of the president," Judge Patterson said.

"Or at least not one that'd I wish to bring to the public. In other words, I'll get you that money your honor," I said. "And I'll get it to you today."

"Miss. Carter you may be able to pay off half of your sentence, but you still belong in jail," Judge Patterson announced.

I stared straight into his eyes, not blinking or looking away. "Judge, with all do respect, sir, I must disagree with you and say that I do not belong in jail."

Judge Patterson swallowed hard. "You dare to question my authority?" he asked.

"I question your brainpower," I shrugged. "I may be guilty for murder, sir, but it _was _for self defense."

"But you do not have an excuse for the president."

"I do, your honor," I said in a low voice. "But you wouldn't believe me even if I tried to explain it. Do I feel bad for my deeds? No; because they did me wrong, so why should I get the guilt trip?"

The judge sighed through his nose and slammed his gavel down upon his desk once more. "Pay the fine of thirty dollars…and you're free. I don't know how you do it, young lady, but you are a smooth talker."

I shrugged and walked away from the judge towards my friends. "Thirty dollars isn't that bad," I said, making them grin.

"Let's go grab something to eat," Cadince said. "And then…"

"The funeral," Stephen finished for her.

I lowered my head slightly and nodded. We left the courthouse, but the group felt empty. To the naked eye we may look like a well kept group of children, but in reality – in our reality – life screwed us over. Scars and bruises that haunted us all kept us shattered and broken, and there were many pieces to pick up to bring things together. It may take awhile, but we were getting things up and running. Our past was our fear, and our fear was our past…But looking ahead I saw a different future. A future of…freedom.

We entered Joy's Diner, smiles and all, not counting our broken hearts – my broken heart. I still felt this sharp pain deep within me whenever a thought about Spot sprung up. Watching him walk away was tough, but replaying it over and over again in my mind was difficult.

It was as if we never met, as if our love never existed. It was only a week ago, the week I spent in jail, or what they call the refuge. Spot disappeared from my life so quickly it was as if he was never there. To him I was only Eve Carter, the girl read about each and every day in the newspaper. There never was an Anomie Parker…

My brother, Kaiden Carter, was now in my care. While I was in the refuge Cadince looked after him, feeding him daily and acting motherly to him. But she told me of the night he mourned the death of Erica.

We ordered our food shortly, and then waited patiently as we talked about different kinds of things.

"I'm so hungry I can eat a horse," Stephen said, rubbing his stomach.

"You're always hungry," Cadince laughed, Daniel sitting on her lap.

"I can tell you one thing, I'll always love Stephen's strange appetite," I said, laughing as well.

Stephen grinned, and as Cadince opened her mouth to speak, I didn't hear a word of it. A figure outside, walking by, caught my full attention. My mind was set on him as he glanced into the diner, giving me one of his expressionless looks. He looked back ahead as if he didn't know me and continued walking.

"I'll be back," I said, standing to my feet.

Stephen shrugged and continued to talk with Cadince. I rushed to the door and ran out into Brooklyn. I turned in circles, looking for him, but he was gone. It was like he walked in the shadows, unseen and uncaring, but talked about amongst the people.

I sighed and shook my head, turning back to the door and walking in. There was no point in looking for him, I didn't exist.

As time sped by I found myself standing over Erica's grave, listening to the preacher read from his bible. There were many of the students crowded around, releasing tears for Erica Lynn Cassidy.

I brought my hand up to my eye and wiped away the teardrop that dared to escape. Daniel stood beside me, holding my other hand as he cried into my shirt. Stephen stood on my other side, his head bowed, and Cadince stood with Jack, the new couple close together.

"And we mourn the death of a loved one, a friend, a daughter, who risked her life daily for the safety of her friends…"

I bent down to Daniel's level and gripped him into a hug, allowing him to sob on my shoulder. His sobs were muffled and hoarse, and his shaggy blonde hair fell all in his face. I looked up, and nearly fell over once I seen who was on the other side.

Spot Conlon stood beside Blade, wearing nothing but black, and holding that damned cane in his hand. He stared down upon the grave, looking as if he were listening intently to the preacher.

I allowed tears to stroke my cheeks, but not for my loss of a friend, but the loss of Spot Conlon. Nothing hurt worse than love other than love itself, and now I knew why they called it falling. He was like a dream to me, just standing still and looking handsome, concentrating on the one thing he came here for. I knew there had to be a reason why the girls adored him so.

He slowly, very slowly, looked up and his eyes stopped on me. They were unreadable and dead, a look of pain settled on his face. I wasn't quite sure what he could've been thinking at that moment, but something made me stare back.

All I wanted was to look away; to leave Brooklyn for good. To leave New York. I could've turned around and ran, taking Daniel with me. But I stayed, and stared at him.

Finally, he looked away, settling his eyes once more on Erica's grave. I sighed and shook my head, slowly rising from the ground.

"C'mon, Danny," I whispered, taking his hand and turning around.

"Where are you going?" Cadince asked.

"Away," I told her. "Far away."

We turned around and left, me holding on tightly to my brother, not even daring to let him go. I only glanced back once, to find Spot watching me, watching me walk away, just as I had done to him.

I looked forward; feeling the pain and hurt in my heart deepen. Everything was lost…

Three days past, and on the third I finally paid my thirty dollars to the judge. My father fled town, so it seemed, and the house was mine.

"Danny, wake up," I said, walking by his room.

I heard him yawn as I made my way down the steps, passing by the maids. I pulled back the curtain only to find it raining harder than ever.

"It's raining cats and dogs out there," said one of the British maids.

"So it is," I said, letting the curtain go.

Daniel stumbled down the steps, rubbing his eyes. "It's raining?" he asked, yawning yet again.

"Yeah," I said, smiling warmly. "Go eat breakfast."

He nodded in response and rushed for the kitchen. A knock came upon the door, and a maid walked forward.

"I'll get it," I said, stopping her.

She nodded and turned away, walking up the steps. I pulled on the knob and opened the door, only to find the air to be our visitor. Nobody was around to claim the visit, except a lonely red rose lying on the ground.

I furrowed my eyebrows and picked it up, smelling the well-bloomed petals. I looked around, squinting my eyes to see through the rain, only to spot a figure walking away down the sidewalk.

"Spot?" I said to myself.

I stepped out into the rain and descended the stairs. The raindrops kissed my cheeks, and leaked from my hair. The figure was getting even further away, so I decided to run after them.

I didn't exactly run, only walk as fast as my legs would allow. Just as we neared a shop, the figure was gone, just like magic.

I pushed the wet hair out of my eyes and looked around, and once I turned towards the alley I nearly jumped forty feet into the air.

"Why are you following me?" the person asked.

"Spot?" I asked, squinting my eyes once more.

"What?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Did you…? Did you….?" I held up the rose as if to ask if he left it for me.

"No," he said bluntly.

"Oh," I said, looking down.

He shrugged and walked away. I sighed deeply and turned the other way, getting ready to give up on him forever, but his words stopped me. Remembering him tell me he loved me gave me a sudden hope.

I twirled around, water flinging off of my clothes. "I love you Spot Conlon!" I said through the rain.

He stopped walking, and stood there momentarily. Slowly he turned around, looking at me with those mesmerizing eyes. "Dat ain't da foist time some goils told me dat, doll," he said as if I were dumb. "Stand in line."

My tears mixed in with the rain, my emotions getting the best of me. "Fine!" I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Fine…"

I looked down at the rose and dropped it, watching it fall to the ground. I turned around and began to walk away.

"Hey, dat wasn't cheap ya know!" he called out.

I stopped walking, a small smile creeping on my face. I turned around to find Spot smirking. "I don't buy a rose for just anybody," he told me.

He walked forward and picked it up, and walked towards me. "So don't lose it," he whispered as he held it out to me.

I took the rose and looked him in the eyes, the pain and hurt washed away. In one swift movement I threw my arms around him and his lips met mine, my heart racing uncontrollably. We pulled away briefly and laughed, but found ourselves lip locking once again.

"I love you too," he whispered in my ear.

I can't say that all stories end with "and they lives happily ever after", because that was just the beginning of my new life.

**Author note: THE END! I don't know if I want to write a sequel, but I'll think about it. So, how did you like it? I enjoyed writing it for you, and I enjoyed your nice reviews. Thanks a lot guys! And I'll appreciate it if you stopped by my website (you can find the link in my profile) and sign my guestbook. Thanks a billion!**


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